MUSC children's heart program receives three-star rating

Almost all centers that perform pediatric heart surgery in the U.S. participate in this database, said Scott Bradley, M.D., head of the Pediatric Section in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at MUSC. Twice yearly, the STS Congenital Heart Database sends each participating center a summary of the hospital’s outcomes compared to all participating hospitals.

“We are excited to see our ranking rise to the top of the STS Congenital Heart Database. Our team strives for excellence, and everyone involved in the Children’s Heart Program at MUSC can be proud of this recognition,” said Bradley. 

The STS Congenital Heart Database public report provides a one- to three-star rating for the participating institutions on a semi-annual basis. The star rating is based on the STS Congenital Heart Surgery Database mortality risk model, which measures the program’s risk-adjusted, observed-to-expected mortality ratio. 

The observed-to-expected mortality rate is based on two sets of numbers that take into account the actual number of patient deaths each month in the hospital in relation to the expected mortality, which is the expected average of hospitalized patient deaths with a particular illness or condition that is beyond the control of the medical center, such as age, gender and other medical problems.

According to the STS, its National Database was established in 1989 as an initiative for quality improvement and patient safety among cardiothoracic surgeons.  In 2002, the STS Database launched the Congenital Heart Database, the largest database in North America dealing with congenital cardiac malformations.  The Database, which contains more than 275,000 congenital heart surgery procedure records, allows for comparison of local outcomes against national standards.

Bradley said it shows the importance that MUSC places on children’s health. “With a 30-day survival rate of 99 percent, our surgical program achieves outcomes among the best in the world. It’s great to see this level of excellence reflected in the newest STS Database rankings.” 

MUSC Children’s Heart Center Surgical Highlights

• A 99 percent 30-day survival rate for all surgical procedures from 2007-2013
• An 86 percent discharge survival rate for the Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome from 2007-2013
• Special expertise in reconstructive surgery for the correction and palliation of all forms of cardiac defects in infants, children and adolescents
• Emphasis and excellence in early, complete repair during infancy
• Surgical management of patients with congenital heart disease from premature neonate to adult
• Innovative improvements in surgical techniques and operative strategies such as heart-lung bypass, blood preservation and minimally invasive surgery
• One of the country’s only dedicated Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Units (PCICUs). The 12-bed PCICU has the latest technology and is designed specifically for the critical care of all pediatric cardiac cases, including postoperative monitoring and management
• Ross repair for aortic valve replacement and valve-sparing aortic root replacement for Marfan Syndrome
• 24-hour Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator availability
• Biventricular pacemaker therapy and pediatric Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
• The first implantation of the Berlin Heart Ventricular Assist Device in the Southeast 

Lauren Hooker is a communications specialist in Department of Surgery