It is an imaging study through ultrasound that is used to analyze the morphology and physiology of the child’s heart and detect any anomaly or congenital heart disease that, if not treated promptly, can trigger serious complications that put the infant’s life at risk.
There are two types of pediatric cardiac ultrasounds:
- Transthoracic: it is the most common and consists of placing a transducer in the center of the child’s chest, which transmits high-frequency sounds which collide against the heart and arteries, whose echo is recorded by the aforementioned device, transforming them into two- or three-dimensional images. It lasts between 30 and 45 minutes.
- Transesophageal: it is less frequent, but it is used when clearer images of cardiac structures are needed. The procedure involves inserting a catheter with a small transducer into the child’s esophagus, which will emit high-frequency sounds that will bounce off the heart and arteries and turn into images. It does not have any potential risks, except for those inherent to sedation. It lasts between 30 minutes to an hour.
Typically, this test is done when the child has some heart disease symptoms and the doctor suspects a birth defect. The most common symptoms include lack of appetite, limited development, breathing problems, recurrent infections, high fever, heart murmur, chest pain, bluish tint to the skin and lips.
The cardiac ultrasound’s purpose is to identify the following problems:
- Congenital heart diseases.
- Arrhythmias.
- Pericarditis.
- Endocarditis.
- Pulmonary hypertension.
- Heart valve abnormalities.
- Heart failure.
- Blood clots.
Our Pediatric Heart Center is the only private center in Mexico to treat heart conditions with an exclusive unit for pediatric surgeries.
We have a group of highly trained specialists made up of pediatric cardiologists, echocardiographers, interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, pediatric cardiovascular surgeons, pediatric cardiovascular anesthesiologists, pediatric specialists in cardiovascular intensive care, nurses, medical assistants, perfusionists, psychologists, and social workers.
Services:
- Cardiovascular surgery
- Interventional cardiology
- Pediatric cardiac ultrasound
- Fetal cardiac ultrasound
- Pediatric electrophysiology
- Fetal electrophysiology
- Cardiovascular intensive care unit
- Pediatric cardiology clinic
- Univentricular heart program
Related centers and departments:
Fuentes:
- cardiopatiascongenitas.net
- mayoclinic.org
- medlineplus.gov
- texasheart.org
- kidshealth.otg
- msdmanuals.com
- medigraphic.com
- Erdmenger OJ. Avances recientes en ecocardiografía pediátrica. Arch Cardiol Mex. 2003;73(Suppl: 1):41-43.
- Serrano RG, González MAE. Fundamentos éticos del método clínico y la ecocardiografía transtorácica en niños con cardiopatías congénitas. Rev Hum Med. 2015;15(2):226-240.
- Huchim ALM, Sierra BG, Fernández BV. Midazolam comparado con hidrato de cloral, en ecocardiografía pediátrica. Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2003;41(2):121-126.
- Ozores SFJ. Aspectos éticos relacionados con la ecocardiografía transesofágica en pacientes de edad pediátrica. Rev Hum Med. 2012;12(2):241-251.
