The Division of Cardiac Anesthesia at Boston Children’s Hospital provides care for infants, children, and adults with congenital and acquired heart disease, as well as those with thoracic (lung) and vascular (blood vessels) disease. Every year, our doctors, nurses, and staff provide care for more than 1,100 heart surgeries and 3,000 cardiac catheterizations, echocardiograms, cardiac MRI/CT scans, and other procedures. Our specialists also consult on and manage the care of patients with congenital heart disease having surgery for non-cardiac reasons.
We work in collaboration with specialists in the Departments of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery to ensure that every patient receives the highest standard of care. Our team cares for patients in the operating room, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, and Cardiac Catheterization, as well as patients seen for other diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to ensure that every patient receives the highest standard of care.
Our depth of experience in cardiac anesthesia
Our team includes anesthesiologists, certified nurse anesthetists, and fellows, all of whom specialize in the practice of pediatric cardiac anesthesiology. All of our physician anesthesiologists are board-certified in both anesthesiology and pediatric anesthesiology, and have also completed additional training specifically for patients with congenital heart disease.
Our cardiac anesthesiologists are trained to manage all aspects of cardiac surgery and the pathophysiology of congenital heart disease. They are instrumental to every phase of a procedure or surgery. We provide:
- assessment and consultation for patients before cardiac and non-cardiac procedures
- coordination of care, especially for patients who need multiple procedures
- snesthesia or sedation for imaging tests, cardiac catheterization, cardiac and non-cardiac surgery, and other procedures
- development and continuous refinement of strategies, equipment, drugs, and techniques for ensuring patients' safety and good health before, during, and after a procedure
- acute and chronic pain control during and after surgery
Our innovative approach
The care we provide to patients is built on continuous innovation and improvement. Our efforts go beyond the ongoing study of agents and methods for providing sedation, anesthesia, and pain relief to include:
- design and evaluation of new monitoring devices
- basic and applied research about organ injury and protection
- innovation in blood loss reduction
- building a deeper understanding of both perioperative and long-term outcomes
Our team's involvement, commitment and expertise are critical to the evolution and success of many innovations and improvements in cardiac catheterization and surgical procedures at Boston Children's Hospital.
Our services
Our cardiac anesthesiologists are trained to manage all aspects of heart surgery and the pathophysiology of congenital heart disease. They are instrumental to every phase of a procedure or surgery. We provide:
- assessment and consultation for patients before heart surgery and non-surgical cardiac procedures
- coordination of care, especially for patients who need multiple procedures
- anesthesia or sedation for imaging tests, cardiac catheterization, cardiac and non-cardiac surgery and other procedures
- development and continuous refinement of strategies, equipment, drugs, and techniques for ensuring patients' safety and good health before, during and after a procedure
- acute and chronic pain control during and after surgery
Training tomorrow’s specialists
We are one of the major training centers for cardiac anesthesiologists who wish to specialize in the care of children with heart disease.
