Pediatric Cardiology and Heart Surgery

At the Karl and Patricia Betz Congenital Heart Center in Grand Rapids, we care for patients across the full spectrum of congenital and pediatric heart conditions — from newborns with critical heart defects, to teens with arrhythmias, to adults living with congenital heart disease. Our team provides state-of-the-art diagnostics, surgical care, and lifelong monitoring and follow-up. Exceptional care is also provided at multiple pediatric cardiology clinics around the state.

State-of-the-art treatment and facilities

Including advanced imaging, 3D heart modeling and printing, minimally invasive procedures, active clinical research, and the only pediatric cardiac intensive care unit in West Michigan.

Specialized teams

Expert pediatric cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons diagnose and treat nearly every pediatric heart condition. Our fetal cardiology team even manages heart conditions before birth.

Whole-child support

Children are supported by a coordinated clinical team, including exercise physiologists, nutritionists, and other specialists. They also receive emotional support and educational resources from social workers and the Child and Family Life team.

Lifelong care

Thanks to medical advances, many children born with heart defects live long lives. Our specialists provide ongoing follow-up care for congenital heart problems throughout your child’s life, including a transition program to help teenagers develop self-management skills.

Advanced imaging and diagnostics

Our state-of-the-art pediatric capabilities allow our specialists to diagnose conditions early and guide certain procedures. They include:

• Heart ultrasound (echocardiography), including fetal echo before birth
• Cardiac MRI and CT scans provide detailed images of the heart and blood vessels
• Electrocardiography (EKG) and electrophysiology studies to check heart rhythm

We also provide exercise stress tests and other diagnostic services for student athletes who need medical clearance to play sports.

Mechanical circulatory support

These treatments either assist a weakened heart or temporarily take over blood pumping functions while your child waits for a transplant or surgery. They include:

• Ventricular assist devices, which are implantable pumps that help the lower chambers of the heart move blood through the body
• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), an outside-the-body life support device that takes over pumping and oxygenating blood from the heart and lungs

Medication management

Doctors may prescribe medications to treat a variety of conditions, including heart failure, heart rhythm conditions, clotting conditions, and pulmonary hypertension.

Minimally invasive procedures

We can treat many heart conditions and defects using specialized tools inserted through a thin, flexible tube (catheter). This reduces damage to your child’s healthy tissues. Procedures include:

• Closing holes in the heart wall
• Widening narrowed valves and blood vessels
• Inserting artificial heart valves
• Using heat or cold energy (ablation) to block abnormal electrical signals causing irregular heartbeats

Pediatric heart surgery

Our pediatric heart surgeons treat complex heart conditions, whether they are present at birth (congenital) or develop later in life (acquired), in children under 18 years of age. Surgeons receive input from intensive care, cardiology, and other specialists to ensure that the selected procedure is the truly the best choice for your child. Minimally invasive procedures are used whenever possible to help you child recover as quickly as possible.

We perform all types of pediatric cardiac surgery, including:

• Repairing holes in heart walls, narrowed valves or vessels, low oxygen levels in the blood, valve abnormalities, and vascular connection defects
• Fixing defects in the great vessels (aorta and pulmonary artery)
• Treating heart muscle disorders and inflammatory heart disease
• Correcting heart rhythm problems
• Implanting mechanical support (such as a ventricular assist device) for heart failure
• Reconstructing airways obstructed by vascular defects
• Hybrid surgeries with interventional cardiology

Thanks to the life-saving treatments they received as children, more than one million adults in the U.S. are now living with congenital heart disease. However, because few defects can truly be cured, adolescents and adults still need access to specialized, preventive and, if necessary, interventional care.

Our adult congenital heart disease program is accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association and provides services for teenagers and adults who were born with heart defects, including:

• Lifelong monitoring for heart rhythm problems, valve problems, pulmonary hypertension, or other late-onset issues
• A dedicated program to help teenagers better understand their diagnosis, learn how to self-manage, and transition to adult care
• Specialized care for women with congenital heart disease who are planning to become pregnant

Adults with congenital heart disorders may schedule a new patient appointment without a physician referral by calling at 616.267.9150.