About This Program
The Coronary Anomalies Program is a specialty program within the Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease, a clinical partnership between Dell Children’s Medical Center and UT Health Austin.
The Coronary Anomalies Program diagnoses, treats, and manages the care of infants, children, adolescents, and adults with anomalous coronary arteries. The coronary arteries are small blood vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle. Malformations can occur in the coronary arteries, potentially depriving the heart of oxygen and nutrients and causing serious side effects or cardiac events. While the vast majority of anomalous coronary arteries are not dangerous, there are a few anomalies that may lead to ventricular arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, left ventricular dysfunction, and, in some cases, sudden cardiac death.
The Coronary Anomalies Program care team is comprised of nationally recognized and highly specialized physicians across different disciplines housed in a single cardiac care unit at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Our team utilizes a shared decision-making model, working with patients and their families to come up with a plan unique to each patient. The management strategy includes a standardized approach to diagnosis and treatment. The Coronary Anomalies Program is one of the leading programs in the country, actively collaborating with cardiac care specialists from across the country to study and advance the knowledge of coronary artery anomalies. With access to expert staff and advanced technology, we also provide a wide range of services, from evaluation, testing, and diagnosis to medical management, rehabilitation, surgery, and more, in an effort to give patients and their families the best quality of life.
Treatment Approach
Although many patients with a diagnosis of an anomalous coronary artery do not experience symptoms or need treatment, a thorough evaluation in early adulthood is recommended. The Coronary Anomalies Program care team uses a very carefully and strategically thought out plan for determining risk through testing, which may include CT scans, exercise stress tests, stress MRI, cardiac catheterization (cath) labs, and more. Based on careful analysis of the patient’s risk profile, our team works with you and your family to decide the risk-benefit ratio of an intervention to correct the anomaly or to continue to monitor throughout life.
Patients are cared for by a dedicated multidisciplinary care team, meaning you and your family will benefit from the expertise of multiple specialists across a variety of disciplines. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained pediatric and congenital heart surgeons have extensive experience treating patients with anomalous coronary arteries and work alongside a team of pediatric cardiac experts, including cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, critical care specialists, hospitalists, anesthesiologists, perfusionists, nurses, advanced practice providers, social workers, psychologists, child life specialists, dietitians, physical and occupational therapists, pharmacists, and more, providing unparalleled care for patients and their families every step of the way.
Appointment Information
For more information about the Coronary Anomalies Program at Dell Children’s, please call 1-855-324-0091.