Cardiothoracic (CT) Surgery

About CT Surgery at UPMC Children's Hospital

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

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

Our services include:

• Pediatric cardiac anesthesiology
• Mechanical heart and lung support for children with critical heart and/or breathing problems
• Cardiac ICU for infants and kids with heart diseases and problems.

The CT Surgery Division at Children's also offers:

• Surgery for heart rhythm problems.
• Heart, lung, and heart-lung transplants.
• Bridges to transplant — such as ventricular assist devices and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation — to support newborns and infants with breathing distress.

Top-Rated for CT Surgery Outcomes

UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh has earned a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its patient care and outcomes in congenital heart surgery. The three-star rating, which denotes the highest category of quality, places UPMC Children'samong the elite for congenital heart surgery in the United States and Canada.

The STS star rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in health care, comparing the nationally benchmarked outcomes of cardiothoracic surgery programs in the United States and Canada. The STS Congenital Heart Surgery Database (CHSD) star rating is calculated based on overall risk-adjusted operative mortality for all patients undergoing pediatric and/or congenital heart surgery performed by an STS CHSD participant.

Historically, approximately 8%–10% of participants receive the three-star rating for congenital heart surgery. The latest analysis of data for congenital heart surgery covers a 4-year period, from 2015 to 2018, and includes 118 participants.

CT Surgery Programs for Children and Parents

Our staff holds an ongoing program to help kids and parents learn about cardiothoracic surgery.

They also serve as caring liaisons between loved ones and members of the health care team.

Referrals for CT Surgery at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

The CT Surgery Division needs referrals from primary care doctors or other Children’s Hospital specialists.

If you have a managed care insurance plan, you may also need approval from your insurance provider and doctor.

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 Children’s at 412-692-5540.

More About Heart and Vascular Surgery 

• Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery Report (PDF) from the Pa. Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). The report has data from 2014 to 2017 that will help improve care and control the state's health care costs.