Because of the many advances in medical care, people born with congenital
heart defects (CHD) are now living into adulthood which underscores the
importance of programs focused on this specialized care. The mission of
the Adult Congenital Heart Services within The Heart Center at Children’s
Hospital New Orleans is to provide comprehensive care for the adolescent
and adult with congenital heart disease regardless of age or illness severity.
Our clinic offers a complete range of diagnostic and treatment services
for patients with adult congenital heart disease, including minimally-invasive
procedures.
The Heart Center at Children’s Hospital New Orleans is committed
to becoming the comprehensive cardiac provider of choice for adults with
congenital heart disease across the state of Louisiana and the Gulf South.
We have also established a transition clinic that works with teens into
adulthood, enabling them to understand the care that is needed as the
grow up. This gives our parents whose children have grown up in our care
peace of mind knowing they can stay within our system.
Our highly qualified team strives to deliver an exceptional patient experience
combining rigorous standards of care with a holistic approach that supports
the patient’s personal health goals. Our partnership with LCMC adult
hospitals ensures that our patients will be able to readily access board-certified
adult congenital cardiologists as well as any necessary adult specialty
care that includes family planning, maternal fetal medicine specialists,
cardiovascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists and electrophysiology
specialists.
Conditions we treat
ACHD patients need continued monitoring throughout their lifetime. Many
will need further surgical or medical interventions at different stages
in their life.
Our specialists treat adults who were diagnosed during childhood with any
of the below conditions. Our specialized cardiologists can monitor adults
on a regular basis to help them manage their congenital heart condition
and if surgical or non-invasive catheterization procedure is needed to
repair a defect, our surgeons and interventional cardiologists are available
to consult with the patient and do the procedure. We also care for patients
who didn’t realize they had a congenital heart condition until they
reached adulthood and started having symptoms for the first time.
Chest wall deformities including pectus excavatum and carinatum
Diseases involving the lungs, pleura or diaphragm as well as implantation
of pacemakers
Congenital coronary artery abnormalities
Transitioning your teen to ACHD care
We want our teenagers born with congenital heart disease to be successful
as they transition their medical care into adulthood. Our goal is to educate
your teen on what’s next for their care and how to treat their condition
including discussing the below things with each of them and answering
all their questions about:
Understanding their heart condition and their heart history
How to take ownership over their care, especially if they’ll be away
at college
Understanding potential issues that may come up with their condition and
when to call their cardiologist
Discussing their medications and how to administer them on their own
The importance of exercising and eating right
The risks of drug and alcohol use especially as it relates to their heart condition
Understanding the need for lifelong care with a cardiologist trained in ACHD
Learning about potential future heart health needs, including testing,
surgeries and procedures
How to find a primary care doctor after age 18
Learning about family planning needs, including contraception, considerations
for pregnancy and genetic implications
Genetics and family planning for adults with congenital heart disease
The genetics of congenital heart disease are complex and variable and it
is important to understand the background of the disease in order to manage
a genetic condition and for family planning purposes
Understanding the genetics behind the disease can help determine whether
congenital heart disease will occur again in other family members and
evaluate the need for further family screening.
Adult Congenital Care is provided via board certified adult congenital
cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, electrophysiologists, interventional
cardiologists, radiologists, a nurse practitioner, dedicated full time
registered nurse, a heart center social worker and a clinical care coordinator.
Scott Macicek, MD Adult Congenital Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist
