Pediatric heart diseases

In pediatric patients, the most common heart diseases are congenital cardiac defects. In Finland, approximately 400 children are born every year with a structural defect of the heart. In addition to structural defects, children also have arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies. 

We are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cardiac diseases. The prognosis for most structural heart defects is good, and late morbidity is relatively low. The monitoring of the patient’s condition continues throughout life. 

Pediatric heart catheterization 

We perform approximately 400 cardiac catheterizations at New Children's Hospital each year. In the catheterization laboratory, we can conduct diagnostic examinations and contrast studies of the circulation, procedural catheterizations, arrhythmia tests and treatments, and installations of pacemakers.  
 
Some pediatric structural heart defects can be treated with catheterization techniques without surgical procedures. In the procedural catheterizations, we can, for example, close the cardiovascular shunt connections and dilate the narrowings of heart valves and blood vessels. Catheterization techniques can also be used for examining and treating tachyarrhythmias.  

In catheterizations, the number of complications is lower and children recover faster from the procedure than from equivalent surgical procedures on the heart. Usually we ask the child to visit the hospital the day before the procedure. In most cases, we can discharge the child on the day after the procedure and the child's return to normal activities can take place immediately.