Cardiac Catheterization (Diagnostic and Interventional) - Departments & Programs - Children's National Medical CenterDepartments & Programs - Children's National Medical Center
Children’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab performs more than 500 procedures each year. The lab is run by a pioneer in pediatric interventional cardiology who has served as primary investigator on numerous clinical trials for new technological devices. Our team possesses special expertise with the use of intravascular stents in the treatment of severe pulmonary artery stenosis and other blood vessel abnormalities. In addition, we specialize in the catheter-based device closure of abnormal blood vessels and holes inside the heart.
Once used primarily for diagnosis only, cardiac catheterization has also evolved into a major treatment based procedure. Currently almost two thirds of all cardiac catheterization procedures performed at Children's involve a therapeutic intervention.
Children's offers all currently available cardiac catheterization treatment options available in the United States. For example, the Amplatzer® Atrial Septal Occulder and the recently FDA approved Amplazter® PDA Occluder. The use of these devices has eliminated the need for open-heart surgery in the majority of patients with atrial septal defects (ASD). Dr. Slack is a recognized international expert with more than 10 years of experience with device closure of ASD using the Amplatzer® Septal Occluder. He specializes in the closure of large, as well as multiple, ADSs. He has trained more than 100 cardiologists throughout the United States to perform the ASD and patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure procedures. Dr. Slack has extensive experience with the closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) having one of the largest experiences in the United States. In addition to many other procedures, Dr. Slack has developed specialized expertise in complex pulmonary artery stenting and stent-angioplasty of aortic coarctation with more than 17 years of innovative experience. Dr. Slack also has expertise in the percutaneous catheter-based closure of complex coronary artery fistulae in both children and adults.
Intravascular stenting of all types of congenital and post-surgical blood vessel stenoses are also available. Other peripheral vascular interventional procedures including renal artery abnormalities, vascular abnormalities of the lungs, liver, and lower extremities are all performed by Dr. Slack and his team. The team uses a wide variety of other procedures and devices, and has the experience and knowledge to devise custom catheter-based treatments in the patient with unique and high-risk cardiac problems.
Dr. Slack has extensive experience with and involvement in new cardiovascular device development having participated in many new pivotal clinical trials are performed by his team. Patients coming to the Catheterization Laboratory at Children’s National Heart Institute have the option of participating in one of these cutting-edge clinical trials, should they have an interest.
