Indications for Cardiac Catheterization and Intervention in Pediatric Cardiac Disease

“What we can offer patients now, versus just 10 or 15 years ago, is remarkably different. There have been tremendous advances in the procedures, devices, experience and the expertise of the physicians who perform the procedures. As physicians caring for patients with congenital heart disease, we have to look at heart catheterizations a little differently than we have in the past.”

“Quite frankly, in the world of pediatric cardiology, there are many procedures that are available in the cath lab, but in terms of the volume of the literature, it's not like what you see in adults simply because the number of kids with congenital heart disease is so much smaller. It does take time to accumulate a critical mass of data.”

“This expanded and excellent update reflecting current practice standards was indeed much overdue, as the field has evolved significantly since the previous AHA statement on this subject in 1998.”