Dell Children’s Doubles the Size of Its Cardiac Critical Care Unit

Dell Children’s Medical Center has doubled the size of its cardiac critical care unit in response to the growing demand for complex pediatric heart care. The unit has increased from 24 beds to 48, illustrating Dell Children’s commitment to providing top-notch care for a broader patient population. Six of the new beds will be dedicated to heart transplants, as Dell Children’s is the only pediatric heart transplant program in Central Texas.

“We are very excited about adding more critical care bed capacity in our outstanding critical care unit,” said Dr. Charles D. Fraser, Jr., Executive Director of the Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease. “The scope, focus and expertise offered in this unit are inspiring in our mission to help the most complex patients.”

“The reputation and capabilities of the Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease have grown significantly over the past five years, necessitating this expansion,” said Michael Wiggins, President of Dell Children's. “Our world-renowned cardiac surgeons and specialists, in addition to more than 400 heart center team members based in Austin, will use this space to continue taking on the most challenging and complex cases.”

Dell Children’s Medical Center is the only highly specialized surgical heart center in Central Texas and the only Level 1 pediatric trauma center in the region. Dell Children’s Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease has become a global hub for pediatric cardiac care, ranking in the top 10% of heart programs nationwide.

Dell Children's has become a beacon of hope for families grappling with complex heart conditions, attracting patients not just from across Texas but also from 48 states in the U.S. as well as Europe, South America and Africa. The strategic vision of Dr. Charles D. Fraser, Jr., an internationally recognized pediatric congenital heart surgeon and Executive Director of the Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease, has led to the program's rapid expansion, with 30 heart transplants performed, numerous medical milestones achieved and more than 2,000 heart operations at Dell Children’s in the last five years.

The heart program’s success is underscored by its willingness to take on challenging cases that other centers might shy away from, which is reflected in Dr. Fraser’s commitment to providing potentially life-saving treatments without being constrained by external limitations. The program’s milestones include:

• The introduction of a left ventricular assist device in 2019.
• The first heart transplant in 2020.
• The first Berlin mechanical heart in 2021.
• The first baby to be cared for by its new Comprehensive Fetal Care Center and then be born at its new labor and delivery unit and have an immediate heart procedure in 2021.
• The groundbreaking achievement of a partial heart transplant in 2023.

The collaboration between pediatric and adult cardiac care, exemplified by the Institute for Cardiovascular Health, which was established in 2022, has further elevated Dell Children’s as a comprehensive center for cardiovascular care. This joint project between Dell Medical School’s UT Health Austin and the Ascension Texas hospital system fosters information sharing and collaboration between experts in both fields, promising advancements in clinical trials and research.