Heart Catheterization

Treatment of Children

Specialized pediatric cardiologists are among the Mayo Clinic Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (CL) staff in Minnesota, where treatment is available for patients of all ages, including infants. More than 300 children undergo diagnostic studies and therapeutic procedures in the CL every year.

Many children who undergo cardiac catheterization at Mayo Clinic have been diagnosed with congenital heart defects that can often be repaired with a catheter-based procedure, eliminating the need for open-heart surgery. Sometimes cardiac catheterization is necessary to obtain additional information about the structure or function of the child's heart that can't be acquired through other diagnostic tests, such as echocardiogram, electrocardiogram and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Cardiac catheterization procedures in children are often performed guided by fluoroscopy and ultrasound. Occasionally, angiography with the use of contrast dye is also necessary.

The most commonly performed catheter-based repair is closure of ostium secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) or patent foramen ovales.

Other procedures performed include:

• Balloon dilatation and stent placement for repair of coarctation of the aorta
• Transcatheter insertion of coil or occluder to treat patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
• Balloon atrial septostomy as part of pulmonary atresia treatment

Appointments

For appointments or more information, call the Central Appointment Office at (507) 538-3270 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.