Programs and specialties

Location: 2nd floor, East Wing Clinic, Goldsbury Center for Children and Families, 333 N. Santa Rosa, directly behind Christus Santa Rosa Hospital in downtown San Antonio.

Clinic Phone: 210-704-2052
Cheryl Saliba, RN: 210-704-4092

  Interventional and Diagnostic Cath Lab: Dedicated pediatric heart catheterization laboratory with full diagnostic and interventional capabilities. A wide range of interventions are performed routinely, including vascular stenting, atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closures, balloon angioplasty of body and lung arteries and veins (including coarctations), and balloon valvotomy of stenotic or malformed valves (especially the aortic and pulmonary valves). Our caring staff are trained specifically in the care of pediatric heart patients.

  Congenital Heart Surgery: Dedicated congenital heart surgery team with combined experience of over 3,500 heart operations. Two fully trained congenital heart surgeons able to perform the most complex operations with excellent results, including operations for transposition of the great arteries, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and neonatal Ross operations. Intraoperative and postoperative management is performed by highly trained professions dedicated to the management of congenital heart patients. The congenital heart institute also maintains an advanced ECMO (life support) program.

  Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology: Highly trained pediatric, cardiac anesthesiologists with combined experience of over 5,000 congenital heart operations with excellent results.

  Fetal and Congenital Echocardiography: Expert prenatal, post-delivery (neonatal), and life long diagnosis of congenital heart defects are performed by our pediatric cardiologists. Our team has advanced training in the diagnosis of heart problems before birth (fetal).

  Operating room
The surgical team of Christus Santa Rosa has recently extended its ministry to provide critical services to pre-mature infants and children afflicted with congenital heart defects. Since the inception of the Congenital Heart program, children of the San Antonio and various communities throughout the state of Texas have been brought under the care of physicians, nurses, surgical technicians, and team members whose purpose is to ensure the safety of patients during and after the procedure. Frequent communication with the parents of our young patients is a vital part of this ministry.

The Perfusionist and Their Role in Cardiac Surgery The Perfusionist is a member of the cardiac surgical team that assists in the care of the patient while they are in the Operating Room. Their primary role in this effort is in the assembly and operation of the heart-lung machine. When a child has certain procedures involving surgical correction of congenital heart defects, the heart-lung machine assumes the role of pumping oxygen-rich blood to the entire body. This allows the surgical team to complete the cardiac surgical repair in a safe and efficient manner.

The Perfusionist is vigilant in the safe assembly and operation of the heart-lung machine and is in close contact with the Surgeons and Anesthesiologists throughout the operation. The pediatric Perfusion team at Christus Santa Rosa has years of experience in the management of intraoperative cardiovascular care of pediatric cardiac surgical patients. It is their objective to provide safe, professional services incorporating cutting edge technology and expertise.

  Intensive Care Units
The Pediatric Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) supports cardiac intensive care for pre-term babies to young adults, with all forms of congenital and acquired critical heart disease.

The team consists of skilled nurses specifically trained in pre and post operative management of congenital heart disease, intensive care physicians with cardiac experience, dedicated nurse practitioners, cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and an array of specialty services including respiratory therapy, nutrition, child life, pastoral care and medical and surgical pediatric sub specialists.

The ICU supports 24 hour in house coverage by intensivists, and there is a dedicated pediatric team available to transport critically ill newborns and children. Children are cared for throughout the continuum of their illness and hospitalizations from a team perspective, resulting in improved communication and outcomes. The current 14 bed SICU opened to provide cardiac intensive care services in April, 2004. This new, state of the art facility creates a family centered atmosphere committed to supporting both the child and their family. The unique partnership involving private practice physicians and faculty of The University of Texas Health Science at San Antonio promotes excellence in education, clinical care, research and advocacy of children.

Cardiac services include the medical and surgical management of complex heart malformations, with outstanding expertise in single ventricle palliation, pulmonary artery reconstruction, and minimally invasive techniques. In addition, pediatric cardiology and interventional catherization procedures, including device closures, angioplasty, stent placements, and balloon valvoplasty are provided in our new pediatric cardiac catheterization suite.

Pediatric ICU: 210-704-2965 | ICU transport 1-800-343-5218

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa's Children's Hospital houses a 62-bed Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, offering the most advanced newborn therapies, technology and equipment currently available. High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation, Inhaled Nitric Oxide, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and on-site surgical intervention are some of the specialized medical care provided. A State-Of-The-Art Congenital Cardiovascular Team dedicated to the medical management of infants and newborns with heart defects is on call 24 hours a day. A full array of pediatric sub-specialists is available including: neurosurgery, pulmonary, cardiology, hematology, genetics, orthopedics, dermatology, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, ENT, and general surgery. The NICU is staffed by a core group of five board certified neonatologist (Drs. Maria Pierce, Bradley Yoder, Leonard Hilliard, Anthony Corbet and Ned Keidel), respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapist, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, case managers and hospital chaplains.

Approximately 400 infants are transferred to Christus Santa Rosa's Children's Hospital NICU each year from more than 50 local and regional hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities encompassing an 80-county area. Our neonatal transport program has a dedicated and experienced team available 24 hours a day, with the capability of allowing for simultaneous neonatal transports.

The Neonatal Transport Team consists of specially trained registered nurses and respiratory therapists. All team members are certified in neonatal resuscitation, proficient in the stabilization and transport of critically ill neonates. The transport team is under direct supervision of the accepting neonatologist.

In addition, a full-time Pediatric Developmentalist provides bedside neonatal evaluation as well as long term follow-up for our neonatal graduates.

Case Managers aid families in coordinating a smooth transition from the NICU to discharge. A parental support group headed by our dedicated staff provides families with education, information and facts to assist them through the difficult transition of having an infant in the NICU.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU):
Neonatal Transport Team: 210-704-2474 or 1-800-857-6440
Neonatal ICU main phone: 210-704-2474
Neonatal ICU transport: 1-800-635-6282

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit:
Pediatric ICU main phone: 210-704-2965
Pediatric ICU transport: 1-800-343-5218