Norton Children’s Heart Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, provides a full range of care for patients with congenital heart disease, including:

• Newborn diagnosis and stabilization at birth
• Postoperative surgical care
• Management of complex arrhythmias
• Care of patients with heart failure, cardiomyopathy and heart transplant recipients
• Management of pulmonary hypertension
• Congenital heart disease patients hospitalized for other reasons, such as treatment for a lung infection or monitoring after surgery
• Management of patients following complex cardiac catheterization
• Patients requiring mechanical heart support, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or ventricular assist devices (VADs)
• Advanced cardiac imaging including cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans
• A team approach, including:
  • Child life specialists
  • Nutritionists
  • Occupational and physical therapists
  • Social workers
  • Speech language pathologists
  • Hearts & Hands Care Team, who works to meet the needs of the entire family

Our specialists work as a team and round each morning in the patient’s room to discuss care plans. We encourage families to participate, provide input and ask questions during these discussions.

When your child is getting ready to go home, we teach you how to provide care. This includes CPR training, feeding, medication administration and any specialized equipment needs. Our transition team ensures families are prepared for discharge and understand outpatient follow-up plans.

Why Choose Norton Children’s Heart Institute

• Norton Children’s Hospital has been a pioneer in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, performing Kentucky’s first pediatric heart transplant in 1986 and becoming the second site in the United States to perform an infant heart transplant.
• The American Board of Thoracic Surgery has certified our cardiothoracic surgeons in congenital heart surgery.
• The Adult Congenital Heart Association has accredited Norton Children’s Heart Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program as the only comprehensive care center in Kentucky and Indiana treating adults born with a heart defect.
• More than 17,000 children a year visit Norton Children’s Heart Institute for advanced heart care.
• Norton Children’s Heart Institute has offices across Kentucky and Southern Indiana to bring quality pediatric heart care closer to home.
• The Jennifer Lawrence Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at Norton Children’s Hospital is the largest dedicated CICU in Kentucky, equipped with 17 private rooms and the newest technology available for heart care.