Our researchers are learning the basic mechanisms of heart disease at a molecular and genetic level in children in order to develop better techniques to prevent heart disease and better treat children with heart disease. For children who are taking drugs to treat cancer, our researchers are looking at way to prevent possible heart damage from these drug therapies. Using computer models, our researchers are also learning how to map blood flow through blood vessels. In the future, this can help them develop new devices to repair congenital heart lesions. Our researchers are also leading in the area of three-dimensional heart imaging. Using an electron beam three-dimensional CT scanner, researchers can obtain images of the heart and blood vessels with an accuracy that cardiologists have never been able to achieve before. These images can help surgeons learn the exact anatomy of a particular patient, all before the child is ever sedated in the operating room. Our researchers are also investigating heart rhythm problems, particularly those leading to sudden death. By learning more about rhythm problems, investigators hope to identify which children run the highest risk of a fatal event. They are also investigating the use of an implantable defibrillator, which constantly monitors the heart rhythm and gives a small electric shock to the heart when there's a life- threatening problem. Our Center is a principal investigator in a five-year, multi-center National Institutes of Health study assessing long-term catheter ablation outcomes. We are also collaborating with numerous industry leaders on the development of new systems for energy delivery and new tools such as micro-catheters. Read more about Fetal Cardiovascular Intervention Lucile Packard Children's Hospital is located in Palo Alto, adjacent to Stanford University Hospital, approximately 20 miles north of San Jose, CA and 40 miles south of San Francisco.
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Copyright 2008 Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. All rights reserved. |
|||