Cardiology Research

The Division of Pediatric Cardiology at UT Southwestern and Children’s Heath℠ is composed of managers and support staff who are motivated by the trust that parents place in us to continuously pursue, discover and apply knowledge to take better care of their children.

The Division, led by Gerald Greil, M.D., Ph.D. and Robert D.B. Jaquiss, M.D. provides the full portfolio of pediatric cardiology subspecialty services. After completion of an extensive renovation in 2014, the intensive care unit, cardiac thoracic operating rooms and cardiac catheterization laboratories with an adjacent MRI scanner are all available in close proximity. They are located on the same floor to provide optimal transfer and care even in the most complex cardiac cases. All services are integrated with the Pediatrics, Radiology, Internal Medicine, Adult Cardiology and Obstetric Care departments. This allows seamless transition of cardiology care from the prenatal period right into adulthood.

Our noninvasive diagnostic and treatment services include electrocardiography, Holter monitoring, exercise testing, event monitoring and management of patients with pacemakers and defibrillators.

The Cardiology Division provides all the services that a child with rhythm abnormalities might require. In particular, the Cardiac Electrophysiology specialists from UT Southwestern specialize in complex arrhythmia care for patients with and without congenital heart disease. Procedures we perform include electrophysiologic studies, catheter ablation, surgical and catheter maze procedures, pacemaker and defibrillator implantation, and lead extractions. Catheter ablation, particularly for patients with congenital heart disease, is performed for all types of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.

Our use of 3-D arrhythmia mapping and fusion techniques with CT imaging or MRI has improved outcomes for patients with complex arrhythmia substrates and has markedly reduced radiation exposure.

We provide the complete range of subspecialty pediatric cardiology services in an integrated manner, including:

  • Electrophysiology

  • Cardiac catheterization

  • Transthoracic, transesophageal and fetal echocardiography

  • Outreach services

  • Heart transplantation

  • CVICU led by Jessica Moreland, M.D. 

  • Cardio surgery led by Robert D.B. Jaquiss, M.D.

Program and Research Highlights

  • In 2014, the group performed 565 cardiothoracic surgeries and 1,187 cath procedures.

  • Active American Heart Association-sponsored studies to understand the development of and optimal treatments for pediatric patients

  • Over 60 ongoing IRB-approved projects

  • Active research is underway both as independent projects and multicenter studies to better understand and improve the care of arrhythmias in the young and adults with congenital heart disease. One particular research emphasis is the study of perioperative arrhythmias focusing on patients with complex heart disease and heterotaxy syndromes.

  • Pioneering advancements in the use of biodegradable stents for treating congenital heart disease and tracheal anomalies

  • The first in the nation to develop technologies that facilitate implantation of the Impella® Transcatheter Assist Device in small children

  • Participating in the Melody®  Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Multicenter Post-Approval Study

  • One of 30 centers participating in the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study (PHTS) database