Our clinicians combine the strengths of cardiology and medical genetics to care for patients and families with congenital heart disease. We diagnose and treat structural congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathies, vascular disease (including but not limited to William, Marfan, DiGeorge, Down, Noonan, and Turner syndromes), and other inherited heart conditions. Additionally, we see patients with diagnosed or suspected cardiovascular disease, and signs or symptoms suggestive of a syndrome. This can include birth defects that can impact the heart, growth failure not explained by cardiovascular disease, developmental delay, or dystrophy (weakening, degeneration, or abnormal development of muscles). We provide comprehensive care and state-of-the-art genetic testing, including chromosomal microarray and whole exome sequencing. To help understand test results and manage their diagnoses, patients and families receive dedicated counseling for the cardiovascular manifestations, as well as the genetic implications.

As our pediatric congenital heart disease patients move from childhood into adulthood, our program is there every step of the way to make sure they receive continuous, comprehensive care for even the most complex heart disease. Our multidisciplinary integrated program was the first in the state dedicated to the care of adult patients with complex congenital heart disease, and encompasses the full spectrum of care, including imaging, exercise testing, and surgical as well as less-invasive catheterization therapies. Our patients can expect to receive detailed information about their underlying congenital heart defect, its management, and the implications on their future heart function. Patients in the program are assured of the careful transition of care from their childhood diagnosis into adulthood, and appropriate wrap-around care for adults who are new to the program. Commonly encountered problems related to adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) include the following: Unrepaired congenital defects Complications associated with early surgical repair Heart failure Heart rhythm problems, including pacemakers and defibrillators Pregnancy issues Our expert, board-certified cardiac physicians and surgeons treat these, among other heart conditions: Atrial septal defect (ASD) Ventricular septal defect (VSD) Atrioventricular canal defect Bicuspid aortic valve Pulmonary stenosis Coarctation of the aorta Ebstein's anomaly Transposition of the great arteries, including those who have had a Mustard or Senning operation or arterial switch operation Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries Tetralogy of Fallot Complex single ventricle patients, including those who had a Fontan operation Cyanotic heart disease Patients who had a Ross operation as a child Congenital coronary anomalies, including ALCAPA (anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery) Instead of delaying treatment for complex congenital heart disease, our state-of-the-art imaging, including echocardiograms (ultrasound) and MRI, allows for early diagnosis, before symptoms may interfere with a patient’s life. Our program also works closely with Yale's maternal-fetal medicine team to care for women with congenital heart disease before and after they give birth. Yale’s world-class congenital cardiac catheterization lab provides access to the latest advances in transcatheter valve placement, treatment of atrial septal defects, and all forms of congenital heart disease. We provide comprehensive electrophysiology services, including management of arrhythmias and placement of pacemakers and defibrillators.

Our program offers innovative care for patients with advanced and complex structural heart disease. From diagnosis to treatment, our team is dedicated to treating all forms of structural heart disease, some of which are congenital, or present at birth, and others that develop with age. We take the utmost care in treating these defects, which can affect the interior walls of the heart, the valves inside the heart, and the arteries and veins that carry blood to the rest of the body. As the first program in the state of Connecticut dedicated to the care of adult patients with complex congenital heart disease, we offer the full spectrum of care, providing regular inpatient and outpatient services to adult congenital heart patients. We offer an array of imaging, exercise testing, and surgical options, as well as less invasive catheterization therapies. Our multidisciplinary team includes interventional experts in congenital cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology who have decades of combined experience in the field. Our cardiothoracic surgical team has expertise in congenital heart disease and adult cardiac surgery with experience that spans three decades. Other members of the team include experts from the Yale General & Advanced Heart Failure Program, as well as a wide array of subspecialists in related areas, including liver and kidney disease. Adolescents and adult patients can expect to receive detailed education about their underlying congenital heart defect, its management, and the implications for future functioning. We ensure that our patients with pediatric congenital heart disease will be managed in the context of adult medicine with a multidisciplinary team that includes pediatric and adult cardiologists, adult pulmonologists, genetic counselors, and social workers. Our center provides state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging, including echocardiography and MRI. We work closely with Yale Medicine High-Risk Obstetric and Maternal-Fetal Medicine Programs to provide obstetrics and perinatology services to women with congenital heart disease, and we provide referrals for fetal echocardiography in cases where it is appropriate.