Cardiothoracic (CT) Surgery at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh provides CT surgery for those born with:

• Heart and blood vessel diseases.
• Airway tree problems.
• Chest wall defects.

CT Surgery Services at UPMC Children's Hospital

Our CT surgeons and multidisciplinary team offer:

• Comprehensive evaluation and treatment for pediatric patients with heart problems, including hybrid interventions with minimally invasive approaches.
• Complex surgical repairs for kids with congenital heart disease, including hypoplastic left heart syndrome and valve abnormalities.
• Mechanical heart-lung support — such as ventricular assist devices and ECMO — for kids who have severe heart or breathing problems.
• ICU management for infants and kids with heart diseases.
• Surgery for heart rhythm problems.
• Heart and lung transplants.
• Ongoing programs to help kids and parents learn about CT surgery.

Top-Rated for CT Surgery Outcomes

From 2016 to 2020, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh has received consecutive Three-Star ratings from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for congenital heart surgery. This rating, which denotes the highest level of quality, places UPMC Children's among the top in the U.S. and Canada for:

• Patient care.
• CT surgery outcomes.
• Congenital heart surgery.

Only 8% to 10% of programs received the 3-star rating for congenital heart surgery.

Recently, the star ratings from STS were replaced by recognition of observed risk-adjusted mortality relative to expected mortality. For the metric of observed-to-expected mortality ratio (O/E Ratio), the UPMC Children’s program attained an overall ratio of 0.56 (0.35, 0.84, 95% CI), giving the program an adjusted mortality rate of 1.49%. Our institution’s “observed mortality was less than expected based on the institution’s case-mix".

Referrals for CT Surgery at UPMC Children's Hospital

For CT surgery appointments, you will need a referral from your child's PCP or a Children's Hospital specialist.

If you have a managed care insurance plan, you may also need them and your doctor to approve your child's care.

We must receive all required forms before your child's visit.

To find up-to-date provider numbers or learn more, call the Heart Institute at UPMC Children's at 412-692-5540.