Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology
Our interventional team is one of the most comprehensive in the South Florida region.
Overview
The interventional cardiology team at Holtz Children’s Hospital at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center is one of the most comprehensive programs in the region, performing catheterization and electrophysiology procedures on infants, children, and adolescents, as well as adults with congenital heart disease.
Catheterization data is often required to reevaluate previously repaired heart defects and to obtain biopsies of the heart muscle for routine or emergent detection of rejection in a transplanted heart.
Interventional catheter-based therapies are now standard-of-care for many forms of congenital heart disease that previously could only be treated via open heart surgery. These relatively non-invasive procedures performed in the catheterization laboratory typically result in a shorter hospital stay and allow a more rapid recovery than conventional heart surgery.
Modern catheter-based interventions are also used in combination with surgery (“hybrid” procedure) to maximize the care of our sickest neonates. These hybrid procedures represent the highly expert, cutting edge care involving multiple members of the Congenital Heart Center team.
Services
Cardiac catheterization is non-surgical procedure performed to diagnose and treat heart problems. Using the most advanced imaging techniques our team can guide special tubes to access the heart and the blood vessels for diagnosis and treatment.
This minimally invasive procedure can be used to treat select congenital heart disease so that open-heart surgery will not be needed. We perform the procedure in our state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratory with trained staff to treat congenital heart disease.
Generally, most cardiac catheterization procedures are performed while the patient is asleep. Often, sedative medications are given to make the patient more comfortable and relaxed. Other procedures may require general anesthesia that is provided and monitored by a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist.
Pediatric cardiac specialists in the electrophysiology service at the Congenital Heart Center are experts in the diagnosis and treatment for all forms of abnormal heartbeats, or arrhythmias, in all age groups, from the fetus to the adult.
Some of the conditions we treat with cardiac catheterization procedure are:
- Pediatric congenital and acquired conditions
- Pediatric heart transplant
- Pediatric pulmonary hypertension
- Adult congenital heart disease
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and ventricular assist devices
- Balloon or stent angioplasty of stenotic vessels
- Balloon valvuloplasty of stenotic pulmonary and aortic valves
- Atrial septostomy utilizing needle, balloon, stent, blade and radiofrequency techniques
- Coil and device emoblization of collateral vessels
- Percutaneous device closures of patent ductus arteriosus, patent foramen ovale, atrial septal defects, and ventricular septal defects
- Hybrid interventions involving collaboration of interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons
- Non-surgical pulmonary valve replacement with the Melody Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve
- Electrophysiology study with three-dimensional mapping utilizing Ensite NavX technology
- Radiofrequency and cryocatheter ablation of complex arrhythmias
Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias in need of evaluation and treatment may occur in children with normal hearts or in children with congenital heart defects. When patients require invasive electrical testing, they are treated in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.
Once a rhythm problem is diagnosed, the treatment plan is developed by the team. Members of the Congenital Heart Center team are experts at the implantation, programming and follow-up of patients requiring pacemakers and defibrillators. Our electrophysiologists use the most current equipment including three dimensional mapping systems to increase the safety and success of the procedures.
Our specialists do a wide variety of tests to help diagnose rhythm problems including:
- Electrocardiograms (ECG’s)
- Holter and event monitors
- Stress tests
- Tilt table test
Overview
The interventional cardiology team at Holtz Children’s Hospital at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center is one of the most comprehensive programs in the region, performing catheterization and electrophysiology procedures on infants, children, and adolescents, as well as adults with congenital heart disease.
Catheterization data is often required to reevaluate previously repaired heart defects and to obtain biopsies of the heart muscle for routine or emergent detection of rejection in a transplanted heart.
Interventional catheter-based therapies are now standard-of-care for many forms of congenital heart disease that previously could only be treated via open heart surgery. These relatively non-invasive procedures performed in the catheterization laboratory typically result in a shorter hospital stay and allow a more rapid recovery than conventional heart surgery.
Modern catheter-based interventions are also used in combination with surgery (“hybrid” procedure) to maximize the care of our sickest neonates. These hybrid procedures represent the highly expert, cutting edge care involving multiple members of the Congenital Heart Center team.
Services
Cardiac catheterization is non-surgical procedure performed to diagnose and treat heart problems. Using the most advanced imaging techniques our team can guide special tubes to access the heart and the blood vessels for diagnosis and treatment.
This minimally invasive procedure can be used to treat select congenital heart disease so that open-heart surgery will not be needed. We perform the procedure in our state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratory with trained staff to treat congenital heart disease.
Generally, most cardiac catheterization procedures are performed while the patient is asleep. Often, sedative medications are given to make the patient more comfortable and relaxed. Other procedures may require general anesthesia that is provided and monitored by a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist.
Pediatric cardiac specialists in the electrophysiology service at the Congenital Heart Center are experts in the diagnosis and treatment for all forms of abnormal heartbeats, or arrhythmias, in all age groups, from the fetus to the adult.
Some of the conditions we treat with cardiac catheterization procedure are:
- Pediatric congenital and acquired conditions
- Pediatric heart transplant
- Pediatric pulmonary hypertension
- Adult congenital heart disease
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and ventricular assist devices
- Balloon or stent angioplasty of stenotic vessels
- Balloon valvuloplasty of stenotic pulmonary and aortic valves
- Atrial septostomy utilizing needle, balloon, stent, blade and radiofrequency techniques
- Coil and device emoblization of collateral vessels
- Percutaneous device closures of patent ductus arteriosus, patent foramen ovale, atrial septal defects, and ventricular septal defects
- Hybrid interventions involving collaboration of interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons
- Non-surgical pulmonary valve replacement with the Melody Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve
- Electrophysiology study with three-dimensional mapping utilizing Ensite NavX technology
- Radiofrequency and cryocatheter ablation of complex arrhythmias
Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias in need of evaluation and treatment may occur in children with normal hearts or in children with congenital heart defects. When patients require invasive electrical testing, they are treated in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.
Once a rhythm problem is diagnosed, the treatment plan is developed by the team. Members of the Congenital Heart Center team are experts at the implantation, programming and follow-up of patients requiring pacemakers and defibrillators. Our electrophysiologists use the most current equipment including three dimensional mapping systems to increase the safety and success of the procedures.
Our specialists do a wide variety of tests to help diagnose rhythm problems including:
- Electrocardiograms (ECG’s)
- Holter and event monitors
- Stress tests
- Tilt table test
Our Team

Adult Congenital Heart Disease, Pediatric Cardiology

Adult Congenital Heart Disease, Pediatric Cardiology
Location
Location
Holtz Children’s Hospital
1611 N.W. 12th Avenue, Miami, FL, 33136
Open 24 hours