Single Ventricle Program
Providing Specialized Care for the Most Fragile of Patients
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Single Ventricle Program
Through the Single Ventricle Program, The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is dedicated to helping children and families cope with the challenges of a single ventricle diagnosis and improve outcomes. The Heart Center is among only a handful of centers in North America that offer this dedicated service.
The Heart Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital is ranked by U.S. News & World Report.
About the Single Ventricle Program
Approximately 1,000 children are born each year with a single ventricle heart defect, in which one lower chamber of the heart is either underdeveloped, too small, or missing a valve. Specific areas of focus for the program include outcomes for hypoplastic left heart syndrome after the hybrid procedure; feeding, nutrition and factors affecting neurodevelopmental outcomes for infants with single ventricle heart defects and parent and family support after diagnosis.
Our Team
The mission of the Single Ventricle Team at Nationwide Children's is to improve mortality, morbidity and quality of life for children and families affected by single ventricle heart defects throughout their lifespan.
We have assembled a dedicated care team that consists of:
- Cardiologists
- Feeding and nutrition experts
- Nurses and Nurse Practitioners
- Developmental experts
- Social Work
- Neonatology
- Physical Therapy
- Neurodevelopmental Physician
- Speech Therapy
- Neurology
- Occupational Therapy
- Gastroenterology
- Chaplain
- Pediatric Surgery
- Massage Therapy
- Genetics
- Child Life
- Pharmacy
- Quality Improvement Coordinator
- Fetal Medicine
- Family support services
Our team works seamlessly with our Fetal Cardiac, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Interventional Catheterization teams to provide the medical care and support that our children and families need. We utilize a holistic approach to aiding the child and family, addressing not only cardiac needs but also developmental, nutritional and psychosocial challenges. Our one team approach allows us to deliver superior care that is fully integrated across the care continuum.
Our Resources
Home Monitoring
The Heart Center's Home Monitoring Program arms parents with the ability to monitor weight and oxygen levels at home to help prevent illness and to provide early detection of changing cardiac status.
Connecting Families
Do you feel like nobody understands what you're going through after your child's diagnosis? Nationwide Children's Hospital's Connecting Families program can match you with a peer who has gone through what you are going though. Learn more and apply here.
Family Resource Center
The Family Resource Center was designed by families and professionals to support patients and families during their time at Nationwide Children's Hospital, both inpatient and outpatient.
Sibling Support (Sibling Clubhouse)
The Children's Clubhouse is a special place for preschool and school-aged children to play and learn while their siblings are in the hospital.
NPC-QIC
Since 2009, a group of clinicians, researchers, and parents from across 60 medical institutions have been collaborating to ensure that families of children, who receive a diagnosis of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), and other univentricular hearts, have hope. Nationwide Children's was one of the first participating centers and has attended 14 semi-annual conferences. Parents have represented NCH at 100% of the conferences.
Beads of Courage
Provides innovative, arts-in-medicine supportive care programs for children coping with serious illness, their families, and the health care providers who care for them.
Single Ventricle Patient and Family Council
This working group focuses on process improvement, quality improvement, and patient and family education. A one-year commitment, our patient and family council is available to patients and families receiving both inpatient and outpatient care.
Single Ventricle Conditions
Normal Heart Anatomy vs. Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Approximately 1,000 children are born each year with a single ventricle heart defect, in which one lower chamber of the heart is either underdeveloped, too small, or missing a valve. Learn how a Hypoplastic Left Heart is different from a “normal” heart and how it can be treated through a series of procedures.
