Heart Defect News and Research

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60% of pregnant women never tested for CHD

Three out of five women who have given birth to a child with a congenital heart defect (CHD) -- the number-one birth defect and leading killer of infants and newborns -- were never tested for the defect during pregnancy. This is according to a survey just released by Little Hearts, Inc., a national organization that provides support, education, resources, networking and hope to families affected by congenital heart defects.

9 Feb 2010

Implanted ventricular assist heart pump for infants project awarded $5.6M federal contract

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and their collaborators have been awarded a $5.6 million federal contract to pursue the continued development of an implanted ventricular assist heart pump for infants and small children with congenital or acquired heart disease. The project aims to provide much-needed access to the sophisticated technologies that have saved the lives of older heart failure patients.

5 Feb 2010

NHLBI awarded four contracts to test new devices to help children with congenital heart defects

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded four contracts totaling $23.6 million to begin preclinical testing of devices to help children born with congenital heart defects or those who develop heart failure.

5 Feb 2010

Study sheds new light on cancer metastasis

Some cells are natural rule-breakers. Neural crest cells for example, not only migrate throughout the body during development (most cells are more selective in their wandering), they are also more developmentally flexible than their predecessors (a no-no for nearly all cell types).

4 Feb 2010

Cardiac catheterization: A groundbreaking tool in the field of cardiology

Cardiac catheterizations have been a groundbreaking tool in the field of cardiology. This procedure offers a minimally invasive means for obtaining important information about the heart and its blood vessels, while also providing a less invasive treatment for certain heart conditions.

2 Feb 2010

Study shows cooling technique in heart operations does not impair neurological outcomes in children

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defects in humans, affecting 8 per 1000 live births with one third of affected children requiring intervention in early infancy.

28 Jan 2010

VentriPoint Diagnostics to present abstract on VMS clinical validation study

VentriPoint Diagnostics Ltd. today announced the abstract of a clinical validation study of the second application of the VentriPoint Medical System (VMS) will be presented at the American College of Cardiology's 59th Annual Scientific Session, March 14 to 16 in Atlanta, Georgia. The study demonstrates the accuracy of the method used by the VentriPoint Medical System (VMS) to generate critical heart measurements in three dimensions from two-dimensional ultrasound images with significantly greater speed and accuracy and at considerably lesser cost than is otherwise possible.

27 Jan 2010

Selective use of DHCA during surgery for CHD in infancy does not impair neurological outcomes

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defects in humans, affecting 8 per 1000 live births with one third of affected children requiring intervention in early infancy. Increasing numbers of survivors combined with developmental expectations for independence, behavioral self-regulation and academic achievement have led to a growing identification of neurobehavioral symptoms in some survivors. A study now suggests that a cooling technique often used in heart operations does not impair neurological outcomes.

27 Jan 2010

FDA approves first heart valve conduit that can delay need for open-heart surgery

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the Medtronic Melody Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve and Ensemble Delivery System, the first heart valve to be implanted through a catheter, or tube, in a leg vein and guided up to the heart. This new approach to the treatment of adults and children with previously implanted, poorly functioning pulmonary valve conduits can delay the need for open-heart surgery.

27 Jan 2010

First Hybrid Cath Lab in Louisiana at Tulane Hospital for Children

The Pediatric Heart Center at Tulane Hospital for Children has opened the first and only Hybrid Cath Lab in Louisiana. The cutting-edge facility -- one of only 10 in the country -- is a fully equipped pediatric catheterization lab and operating room that allows both cardiologists and surgeons to work side by side to open the chest, place delivery catheters in the heart and deploy devices. Outcomes are improved by avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass and shortened procedure times.

23 Jan 2010

Heart murmurs in pediatric patients is not a serious condition, says physician

Your 3-year-old's doctor discovers a heart murmur during a visit for a mild cold with fever and recommends referral to a pediatric cardiologist. You worry and wonder how your healthy, active child could possibly have a heart problem.

23 Jan 2010

Obesity in pregnant women is associated with increased risk of birth defects

In recent years, there has been a large increase in the prevalence of overweight and obese women of childbearing age, with approximately 51% of non-pregnant women ages 20 to 39 being classified as overweight or obese.

21 Jan 2010

The price they paid

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jordan Rau, working in collaboration with The Washington Post, writes about how a Virginia family got permission to get out-of-network treatment for one son's heart defect, and still ended up drowning in debt.

19 Jan 2010

First Edition: January 19, 2010

All eyes appear to be watching today's special election in Massachusetts to fill the seat of the late Senator Edward Kennedy. The outcome there could have a significant impact on what happens next in Washington regarding the Democrats' health overhaul.

19 Jan 2010

Open heart surgery without any blood transfusion on a 2-year-old with complex blue baby syndrome

A team of cardiac experts led by Dr. N S Devananda, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals, Bangalore (Now a Network Hospital of Fortis) has performed a major open heart surgery on a 2-year-old baby from Nigeria. Baby Brendan was suffering from congenital heart defect called - Tetralogy of Fallot or complex blue baby syndrome.

19 Jan 2010

Scientists go beyond single-gene models to probe inborn heart defects

Studying genes that regulate early heart development in animals, scientists have solved a puzzle about one gene's role, finding that it acts in concert with a related gene. Their finding contributes to understanding how the earliest stages of heart development may go awry, resulting in congenital heart defects in humans.

12 Jan 2010

U-M Congenital Heart Center invites parents to submit queries on heart defect surgeries

The public, including parents of babies with severe heart defects, are invited to submit questions for inclusion in a tweet chat about surgical approaches for heart defects from noon-2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20 on Twitter.

12 Jan 2010

For pregnant African tourist, U.S. health care system comes through

Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with The Washington Post, reports about Jeanne d'Arc Kayembe, an African tourist who came to Washington in May 2007 on what was meant to be a month-long respite from an abusive boyfriend and a chance to visit relatives before going home. But sharp pains signaled trouble with her pregnancy and she eventually delivered her son here.

6 Jan 2010

Sharing Miracles: A TV program that features inspirational stories of real patients

Major League Baseball slugger Aaron Boone will be featured on January's episode of Sharing Miracles - a 30-minute public affairs television program that tells the compelling and inspirational stories of real patients. Sharing Miracles airs every week on more than 300 television stations nationwide.

31 Dec 2009

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia SDU delivers babies prenatally diagnosed with complex birth defects

More than 240 babies born in 2009 in the Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit (SDU) at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia are ringing in 2010 with their joyful families. Families from 24 states traveled to Children's Hospital for expert prenatal, delivery and postnatal care for their babies.

30 Dec 2009

Heart Defect News and Research

60% of pregnant women never tested for CHD

Implanted ventricular assist heart pump for infants project awarded $5.6M federal contract

NHLBI awarded four contracts to test new devices to help children with congenital heart defects

Study sheds new light on cancer metastasis

Cardiac catheterization: A groundbreaking tool in the field of cardiology

Study shows cooling technique in heart operations does not impair neurological outcomes in children

VentriPoint Diagnostics to present abstract on VMS clinical validation study

Selective use of DHCA during surgery for CHD in infancy does not impair neurological outcomes

FDA approves first heart valve conduit that can delay need for open-heart surgery

First Hybrid Cath Lab in Louisiana at Tulane Hospital for Children

Heart murmurs in pediatric patients is not a serious condition, says physician

Obesity in pregnant women is associated with increased risk of birth defects

The price they paid

First Edition: January 19, 2010

Open heart surgery without any blood transfusion on a 2-year-old with complex blue baby syndrome

Scientists go beyond single-gene models to probe inborn heart defects

U-M Congenital Heart Center invites parents to submit queries on heart defect surgeries

For pregnant African tourist, U.S. health care system comes through

Sharing Miracles: A TV program that features inspirational stories of real patients

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia SDU delivers babies prenatally diagnosed with complex birth defects

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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