Heart transplant conditions

About congenital heart defects

A congenital heart defect means that your child was born with a damaged heart. These defects can vary widely in severity and, while some may not require any treatment, in more serious cases a heart transplant may be indicated.

Congenital heart defect care at Children’s

At Children’s, we have a number of treatment options for congenital heart defects. The right course of treatment for your child depends on several factors, including the type of defect, the severity and your child’s overall health. Treatment options include catheterization (non-surgical), open-heart surgery and, for more serious defects, heart transplant.

About cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy means “disease of the heart muscle.” It is a chronic and sometimes progressive disease in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally enlarged, thickened and/or stiffened to the point that your child’s heart can no longer function normally.

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Cardiomyopathy care at Children’s

There are many factors that contribute to how we determine the best course of action for your child’s cardiomyopathy – including your child’s age, overall health, medical history and advancement of the disease. Your child may require long-term drug therapy, a pacemaker or surgery. In the most serious cases, a heart transplant may be indicated.