Cardiac Anesthesiology

“Will my child feel any pain?” is a frequent concern of parents when children need to undergo a heart procedure. At Children’s National, we have a program dedicated exclusively to pediatric anesthesia and pain management.

Our cardiac anesthesia team is one of the most experienced and skilled in the country. We provide anesthesia care for infants, children, and adults with congenital or acquired heart disease. In the past year, our team provided anesthesia for more than 1,200 procedures, including approximately 600 cardiac catheterizations and 200 cardiac surgeries.

Children’s Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Team

Each member of our team is a board-certified anesthesiologist with subspecialty training and certification in pediatric cardiac anesthesia. In fact, we are one of only a few programs in the country with a specialized team of pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists. We provide anesthesia and pain management for all patients with congenital heart disease.

Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia at Children’s: Why Choose Us

We bring the highest level of dedication, skill, and experience to anesthesia and pain management. Features of our care include:

• Excellent results: Children’s cardiac surgery team has one of the most successful surgical results in the country.
• 24/7 availability: Our pediatric anesthesiologists are available 24/7 for your child’s anesthesia and pain management needs.
• Integrated team: In addition to the anesthesiologist, our team includes cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, cardiac intensivists, and cardiac nurses, are always available for your child’s needs.
• Full spectrum of care: In addition to providing anesthesia care for patients undergoing heart procedures, we also care for heart patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery (such as ear tubes), or even a nonsurgical procedure (such as a dental examination).
• Recovery care: Our care begins well before the procedure and doesn’t end when the procedure does. We have a dedicated Cardiac Procedure Recovery Unit providing appropriate care and services before, during, and after a heart procedure. We are committed to providing a therapeutic environment for our patients during their recovery.

Who Needs Cardiac Anesthesia?

Any infant, child, or adult with heart disease needs the specialized care of a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist when undergoing a heart procedure. The tiniest infants with complex needs are in excellent hands with our anesthesia team.

Our extensive training and certification means we have the resources and skill to care for a wide range of heart patients, from newborns to older teens and adults. We provide anesthesia care for:

• Patients undergoing cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterization, or cardiac imaging tests such as MRI and echocardiography.
• Any patient with significant heart disease undergoing non-cardiac surgery (such as ear tubes and tonsillectomies) or nonsurgical procedure (such as dental examination).