Our cardiologists offer specialized treatment for congenital heart disorders and heart diseases. When surgical procedures of the heart, lungs, ribs, or esophagus are necessary, our cardiothoracic surgeons use the most advanced techniques available to ensure the most successful outcomes possible. Our team collaborates with neighboring institutions to maintain excellence in care.

Our cardiologists are skilled in non-invasive interventional service. They helped to develop new technologies including ultrafast cardiac scan using EBT (electron beam tomography. This technology allows doctors to make accurate diagnosis and perform interventional procedures at outpatient settings.

Meet the Team:

Javois, Alexander, MD
Chief, Section of Pediatric Cardiology
Clinical Associate Professor

Varga, Peter, MD
Associate Chief, Section of Pediatric Cardiology
Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

Imran, Naveen, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

Sueblinvong, Vithida, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

Elwart, Kristin, DNP, MS, NP-BC
Nurse Practitioner

Programs/ Projects:

Fetal Program (directed by Dr. Naveen Imran): Echocardiograms are performed to diagnose birth defects of the heart. Such defects are important to know about before birth because they may require immediate treatment (that potentially is surgical) right after being born.

Adult Congenital Heart Program (directed by Dr. Peter Varga): Specialized care for the adult with birth defects of the heart, even those who have had “curative” surgery. Internationally, adults with CHD (congenital heart disease) are now never considered “cured.” Such “left-over” issues as scar tissue may create new problems, e.g., abnormal heart rhythm, as patients age.

Electrophysiology Program (directed by Dr. Vithida Sueblinvong). The focus of this program is the diagnosis and treatment of abnormal heart rhythms in the fetus, newborn, and child (of any age).

Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Program (directed by Dr. Alexander Javois). The focus of this program is transcatheter treatment of congenital heart lesions to avoid open heart surgery. Typical lesions treated include aortic and pulmonary stenosis, atrial and ventricular septal defect, coarctation of aorta, and patent ductus arteriosus. Some cases may require the replacement of the pulmonary valve.

Cardiodiagnostics Program:

• The EKG (echocardiogram ultrasound) is an exercise treadmill stress test to assess heart rate, blood pressure, and EKG response to exercise.
• Event recorders and Holter monitors document EKGs during symptoms and even during sleep.

Cardiac CAT (computed tomography) scans and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) create precise three dimensional reconstruction of birth defects of the heart so that repairs can be planned.

What We Treat:

No matter how old they are, we specialize in treating patients with birth defects of the heart – including unborn fetuses, newborns, and children and adults of all ages. Treatment modalities include medications, catheter procedures, and open heart surgery.