ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS, CO-DIRECTOR - PULMONARY VEIN STENOSIS PROGRAM
ANN & ROBERT H. LURIE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO

Pulmonary Vein Stenosis (PVS) is a severe and unrelenting disease impacting children with and without complex congenital heart disease. Aggressive forms of PVS result in right heart failure, and without repeat interventions, is an almost universally lethal diagnosis. Despite decades of experience, as a field we still have only a limited understanding of the cellular processes driving PVS, and currently available blood tests are insufficient to help guide clinical care. This foundational work supported by Project Bubaloo will allow us to investigate the utility of a novel class of circulating biomarkers, potentially allowing providers to monitor pulmonary vein disease status with a simple blood test. 

CONGENITAL HEART SURGEON, CHILDREN’S WISCONSIN
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF SURGERY, MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
CO INVESTIGATOR: AOY TOMITA-MITCHEL, PHD
INVESTIGATOR, CHILDREN’S RESEARCH INSTITUTE, CHILDREN’S WISCONSIN
PROFESSOR OF SURGERY AND BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN

Abnormalities in the MYH6 gene are associated with congenital heart disease (CHD) and heart failure. Heart failure symptoms can be profoundly life-limiting, especially in the absence of good treatment options. Currently, there are no heart failure treatments that are specifically designed for patients with CHD. This project will help us identify how many CHD patients have this genetic abnormality and will allow us to study the heart function of these patients over time. This is necessary to find new treatments that will improve the quality and length of life for CHD patients with heart failure.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
PEDIATRIC CARDIAC CRITICAL CARE, CHILDREN’S WISCONSIN

Cardiac ICU Sedation Quality Improvement Project - This is a multiphase quality improvement project aimed at standardizing post-operative neurosedative management, improve nursing evaluation of as needed neurosedatives, and guide neurosedative weaning strategies. The overall objective is to reduce neurosedative exposure while avoiding adverse events.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS, MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY, HERMA HEART INSTITUTE, CHILDREN’S WISCONSIN
BENJAMIN H. GOOT, MD FASE
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS, MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
MICHAEL E. MITCHELL, MD
MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY AND SURGICAL DIRECTOR OF THERMA HEART INSTITUTE, CHILDREN’S WISCONSIN
PROFESSOR AND CHIEF, CONGENITAL HEART SURGERY, MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
JOHN F. LADISA, JR., PHD
PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS - SECTION OF PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY AND DEPT. OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
DIRECTOR OF THE COMPUTATIONAL ENGINEERING AND VISUALIZATION PROGRAM, PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY

There is a wide spectrum of congenital heart disease and successful surgical treatment requires a precise understanding of the 3D relationships between complex cardiac structures. With the use of current imaging software, virtual surgical planning utilizing 3D reconstructions is feasible. Members of the Children’s Wisconsin cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and engineering teams have collaborated in real-time to create 3D printed and virtual reality models. These models have facilitated better understanding of cardiac relationships and tailoring of surgical plans.

The primary objective of this study is to develop a robust process for near real-time model development, clinician feedback for model optimization, case presentation and 3D printing to improve preoperative understanding of spatial anatomic associations, expand discussion of options for surgical palliation and improve acute outcomes postoperatively. Intrinsically, this project serves as a model for truly individualized care that acknowledges and embraces the complexity and variability of congenital heart disease.