Coarctation of the aorta is a fairly common congenital heart defect typically treated early in life. The defect involves the narrowing of a portion of the aorta, which is the major artery that comes out of the heart. Off-pump or “off bypass” surgery is also called “beating heart” surgery and refers to the use of new kinds of operating equipment that allow Le Bonheur surgeons to hold stabilized portions of the heart during surgery, while the rest of the heart continues pumping and circulating blood to the body. As shown in the graph above, from January 2015-December 2018, children who received this surgery at Le Bonheur had a 100 percent survival rate.
Why this is important: When it comes to your child’s surgery, choosing a transparent program staffed by experienced and reliable care providers is important. Le Bonheur’s surgeons consistently perform better than the national average.
Le Bonheur’s Heart Institute measures quality using data compiled by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, or STS. STS gathers data from other top pediatric heart programs in the country, and publishes that information twice a year. This information helps us benchmark ourselves among other top pediatric heart programs.
