All Specialties
At Ochsner Hospital for Children, our heart transplantation team’s goal is to allow kids to live a normal life safely as possible after a heart transplant. Children have many different reasons why they may need a heart transplant. It can be due to being born with an abnormal heart muscle, congenital heart disease that cannot be improved by surgery, or a virus that infects the heart muscle and makes it weak.
Why Choose Ochsner for Heart Failure and Heart Transplant?
Ochsner is the only comprehensive heart failure and heart transplant program in Louisiana that can deliver all services to take care of a patient in heart failure. Our team of experts have been performing pediatric heart transplants for over 30 years and has survival rates well above the national average. At Ochsner Hospital for Children, our dedicated team of specialists provide comprehensive heart failure, ventricular assist device, and transplant care to our smallest patients.
Make an Appointment
To make an appointment, go to my.ochsner.org or call 504-842-5200.
Meet the Team
We provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to treat our patients. Our team collaborates with child life services, palliative care, financial and nutritional support to provide care to our patient and family during this most difficult time in their lives.
Kathyrn Smiley, PA
Jessica Gremillion
Transplant Coordinator
Danielle Terry
Transplant Coordinator
Claire Walley
Transplant Pharmacist
Conditions
There are multiple reasons why a pediatric patient may need a heart transplant. They include the following:
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Myocarditis
- Congenital heart disease
- Restrictive cardiomyopathy
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic heart disease
Services Offered
The services offered for our pediatric patients include:
- Invasive and non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
- Inotrope support
- Electrophysiology therapy
- Short- and long-term mechanical circulatory support devices
- Cutting-edge surgical procedures
- Innovative cardiac rehabilitation
- Ongoing disease management education in both inpatient and outpatient settings
- Heart Transplant
- Psychological support
What is a ventricular assist device?
A ventricular assist device is a mechanical pump that can be implanted in either the left or right chamber of the heart. It helps the chamber to pump blood to the body. The types of ventricular assist devices used at Ochsner include:
- Berlin Heart
- Heartmate 3
- HVAD
- Pedimag
- Centrimag
