Texas Surgery Reviews

What CHD does/did your child have? My son had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)

What was done to correct this CHD? My son went through three open heart surgeries unfortunately he went through only two. Which were the Norwood and the Glen. If he had lived he would have to go through with the Fontan.

Where was your child's surgery done? Children Medical Center of Dallas, Texas

Who did the surgery? Dr. Stephen Leonard and Dr. Hisashi Nikaidoh

When was the surgery done? Feb.5th, 2002 for the Norwood, and the glen July 8th,2002

What did you think of the hospital and staff? They were so AWSOME! I totally LOVED them all. So caring, concerning toward my family. They did an AWSOME job taking care of my son that the nurses was fighting over him to take care of him. The staff child life, helped my oldest son through a lot of things that was going on with his baby brother. They did an AWSOME job with him.

What did you think of the surgeon's? They were caring and concern with My son's recovery. I know when he had his first surgery they all were so shocked on how fast he recovered and come out of the hospital fast too. He came out 16 days old. Even when my son had his last surgery on the July 8th they just couldn't believe what was going on with him and why his sats weren't that great. They checked up on my son everyday, just to see how he was doing and if we had any questions. It is so hard to find great surgeons like Dr. Leonard and Dr. Nikaidoh.

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? Yes, I would if my child was still with me. Everyone there at the hospital was so caring, concern. I remember at the end of July when they took him to the cath lab to see what was going on they told us the Glen was working great but found the problem his tricuspid valve was deteriorating, due to the bacteria that we all thought was treated and gone. Endocarditis is the worst bacteria. They had my son on the strongest antibiotics but it didn't cure it.

Any advice for others looking at this facility and surgeons? I would love to share a few more things with you. Everyone in that hospital showed us how much they cared for My son. The cardiac staff and surgeons were calling around even made a phone call to Dr. Norwood to see if he had any advice to give them to help my son. There was nothing, he was too weak to even go through any more surgeries. It shows how much love, support and how much caring it shows that the staff had. They did all they could for My son. The night of July 30th, the nurses from the cardiac floor that took care of him came down said their goodbyes, gave him a kiss, told him how much he is loved and will be missed and that they will never forget him.. It brought tears to my eyes the words they were telling my handsome angel. I recommend to everyone looking for a wonderful hospital to go to Children Medical Center of Dallas, Texas they are so compassion, caring, loving, supportive and so helpful. I was so amazed the care that my son got from the hospital. I know now that God couldn't save my son there was no cure for him. God did cure him when we let my son go to heaven. It is so hard to battle HLHS, if your child has HLHS give them a chance. My son fought hard for 6 months. He was home with us for just 3 weeks, but the rest of the time while in the hospital we bonded, loved him and took the best care of him till he went to heaven. Endocarditis is very serious and it is so hard to cure. Make sure that they follow up on it closely if your child ever get's it. Having just half a heart does put a lot of strain on them because it is harder for them to fight off anything they come in contact with. I am so blessed and honored to gotten to know my son for six short months. I cherish all of my memories and from this day on I have try helping with CHD with mailing letters emailing them to tv shows, I will not give up...

If our children can fight for their health then we can fight with them on helping funding CHD, getting the word out more and more. Even if we are angel moms, we can and will survive even though it is hard. By sharing our stories we can others learn more about CHD, even when you get those ones that say oh it won't happen to me, I just want to slap them but it can. I never imagine myself dealing with a sick child then laying him to rest. So, please give your baby a shot of life. Our children teach us everyday NEVER to GIVE UP, HOPE, FAITH and most of ALL KEEP ON FIGHTING!

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Children's Medical Center of Dallas

What CHD does/did your child have? Tricuspid Atresia (TA), Pulmonary Atresia (PA), Multiples VSDs, Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS)

What was done to correct this CHD? Bi-directional Glenn followed by daily regimen of lasix, digoxin, baby aspirin, Fenestrated Fontan followed by daily regimen of lasix, digoxin, baby aspirin, enalapril

Where was your child's surgery done? Children's Medical Center of Dallas

Who did the surgery? Dr. Hisashi Nikaidoh

When was the surgery done? Glenn 5-27-03, Fontan 9-13-04

What did you think of the hospital and staff? As far as the folks in Dallas are concerned, just the best. We couldn’t have had a better team working for our son. And that’s what they truly are, is a team. They work together for the benefit of each individual child; not to see how much money they can make or how much stature they can gain from their accomplishments. They’re kinda like cops, fireman, and teachers; under paid and under appreciated. I just can’t say enough good things about everyone involved in his care at Children’s, but anyone who had the unfortunate opportunity to be there will agree how wonderful the cardiology folks are there. I bet there were more than 200 people that cared for our son (that actually touched him physically) and I can say that each and every one treated him like an actual person, not simply a sick kid on a machine or hooked up to something. They just all have so much compassion for these kids; it’s just amazing how much care they can have for someone that they’ll probably never see again. I sure hope we never have to see another hospital, but if we do, I only pray that it will be Children’s, because they have completely spoiled us. It’s not like going to your local small town hospital. It’s so hard to describe the atmosphere there that you can’t really understand it unless you’ve been there, done that. I could go on and on. I’ll just say that everyone involved in our son’s care has been such a joy and blessing in our lives and we can only praise God that we have had the opportunity to experience first hand God’s miracles, grace and love though each of these individuals.

The facilities are top notch! The Cardiac ICU is on a separate floor from the regular ICU. And each CICU patient has their own room (a big complaint I hear about other hospitals is having to share these ICU rooms with more than 1 person!). Everything is computerized and real time, so they can maintain the best care for each patient. The 8th floor was just added about a year ago and the entire floor is for cardiac patients only. The rooms are so spacious and are like suites! Each has private bathroom, couch that folds out into a bed, a safe, desk & chair, TONS of storage, entertainment center with TV, DVD & VCR combo. There are 2 parent rooms on the floor that has a fridge, a separate breast milk storage fridge & freezer, microwave, ice machine, etc. There's a play room on the floor that has scheduled play time with Child Life. And the hospital itself is very child oriented. They have this huge room at the entrance of the hospital with model trains and mountains and the Dallas skyline. The kids love it. There's also planes hanging from the ceiling and everything is decorated bright and cheery, not like most hospitals. The food is really good there too. They have a room-service system where you just call in the order and they bring it up in about 30 minutes. The kids can have pizza for breakfast if they want! The menu is designed for kids. Also, the parents can buy $5.00 meal cards and get room service too! It's so nice and they have a great variety of food. Sometimes, when you have to stay for long periods of time, food can really make a big difference! I don't think there's a single thing (besides maybe the parking - get ready to walk a whole lot - we enjoyed it though - it gave us the opportunity to get some much needed exercise!) that could have made our stay better!

What did you think of the surgeon? Absolutely the best! Dr. Nikaidoh is a wonderful Christian man and if you're looking for a faith filled person to operate on your child, then Dr. Nikaidoh would fill all expectations! He prayed over and laid hands on our son before they took him to the OR. He stayed with our son as the nurse carried him to the OR. As most of you know, once out of surgery, your child is usually under another physician's care. But Dr. Nikaidoh came by almost every day to check on his progress. And he didn't just look at the machines and numbers to see what was going on with him. He interacted with him as a grandfather would do! He talked to him and touched him and played with him! He even took time out of a meeting to come and say good-bye to him! Also, I sent him a thank-you card after his Glenn and he sent us a hand written note! Not just a quick 2 line thing. He actually filled the entire blank card up with kind words. I was so impressed that he took the time to sit down and do that, as he is such a busy man! There are so many things that he has done to make all of this so much easier. And it's said that he and his staff pray over each patient before they begin the surgery. And if you don't pray, then you're not on his surgical team! It takes a man of faith to do the things that he does. He feels that he has been blessed by God with the ability to take care of our kids.

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? Absolutely!

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? The staff is very well taken care of by Children's, therefore, it makes it easier for them to take care of our kids. We have never been more impressed with, essentially, a company that's as large as Children's. There's so much to taking care of these kids and they make it seem so easy. They are trained to take care of the kids as well as the families and I think that is just as important. I mean, we had surgeons and doctors asking us if we needed anything or if there was anything they could do for us! We should have been the one asking what we could do for them for saving our child's life! And if we had any question, even just a simple little nothing question, if they didn't know the answer, they would find someone who did. It may take them 2 days, but we didn't have 1 question go unanswered!

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Children's Medical Center of Dallas

What CHD does/did your child have? Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and Coarctation of Aorta (HLHS and COA)

What was done to correct this CHD? To correct his HLHS defect, we chose the three staged paliative surgeries; Norwood, Glenn and Fontan. For the Coarc, he had multiple angioplasties as needed.

Where was your child's surgery done? Children's Medical Center of Dallas

Who did the surgery? Dr. Hisashi Nikaidoh and Dr. Stephen Leonard

When was the surgery done? The Norwood was performed at 7days old, the Glenn at 6months old, and the Fontan at 2and 1/2 years old.

What did you think of the hospital and staff? The hospital staff were outstanding. I had a bad experience at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, so I am extremely biased.

What did you think of the surgeon? The surgeons were wonderful-very attentive, and very personal. They took every possible consideration for the safety of my child before and after surgeries.

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? I would most definitely take my child back to Dallas Children's, but I made a concerted effort never again to drive to Houston when our son was sick.

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? My advice-CMCD is of the best in the nation, with top surgeons and state-of-the-art facilities. The staff is friendly, warm and educational. Everything you need is at Children's-including low cost room and board at The Ronald McDonald House if you are from out of town. They really make you feel at home at Children's. If you live in the southern region-stay away from Texas Children's in Houston. (LOL! <That was a joke-I'm sure it’s a good hospital.)

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Medical City Children's Hospital (Dallas)

What CHD does/did your child have? :: Unbalanced A.V. canal

Where was your child's surgery done? :: Medical City Children's in Dallas Texas

Who did the surgery? :: Dr. Eric Mendeloff

When was the surgery done? :: Nov 8 2006

What did you think of the hospital and staff? :: This was her second surgery, and it was great. The nurses remembered us and truly cared about my baby.

What did you think of the surgeon? :: He is amazing. Not only is he an amazing surgeon but he is an amazing person. Your child is not just another number to him and you can tell her truly loves all his "babies". It matters to him whether your child lives or dies.

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? :: YES! She will go back to him for a final surgery at the age of 3. If he goes anywhere else in the world we will find him and follow him there.

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? :: Don't go anywhere else. Even if you have issues with the hospital Dr. Mendeloff makes it worth it!

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Cook Children's Hospital (Fort Worth)

What CHD does/did your child have? :: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Where was your child's surgery done? :: Cook Children's Hospital

Who did the surgery? :: Dr. Eldad Erez

When was the surgery done? :: Apr 7 2006

What did you think of the hospital and staff? :: The staff went above and beyond to make our stay at Cook Children's a comfortable one. I can't say enough good things about the people at Cook's.

What did you think of the surgeon? :: If it weren't for Dr. Erez, my son wouldn't be alive today. I'm forever indebted to him and his talents as a surgeon.

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? :: Yes

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? :: Dr. Erez doesn't come across as the friendliest or most caring person when you meet him. After having numerous encounters with him, He's performed 4 open heart surgeries on my son in the past 11 months, I can confidently say that he cares about his patients and wants the best for them.

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Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, Texas)

What CHD does/did your child have? :: tetralogy of Fallot

Where was your child's surgery done? :: Texas Children's Hospital

Who did the surgery? :: Dr. Charles Fraser

When was the surgery done? :: Jun 15 2006

What did you think of the hospital and staff? :: Overall they were wonderful. The nurses and doctors truly care about the children as well as letting the families know what to expect and what they will see through out the course of the child's stay at the hospital. I felt like when we were discharged we were well informed about how to care for our daughter but not told about how her body was recovering. When we went for her one week post-op check up we were then told about remaining problems.

What did you think of the surgeon? :: Dr. Fraser was absolutely great! He is a wonderful surgeon and we are very thankful to have had him in our lives for the few hours we did. He gave our little girl a great chance to have a wonderful and full life.

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? :: without a doubt

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? :: don't hesitate to consider them in your horribly hard decision to find someone who will take care of your child and fix their broken heart. be sure to write down your questions because when you meet with the surgeon he will begin talking and you will forget everything you had thought of.

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Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, Texas)

What CHD does/did your child have? Ostium Primum Septal Defect (partial canal defect)

What was done to correct this CHD? Open Heart to patch a hole and repair the cleft in his mitral valve

Where was your child's surgery done? Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas

Who did the surgery? Dr. Dean McKenzie

When was the surgery done? May 3, 2001

What did you think of the hospital and staff? Excellent

What did you think of the surgeon? Excellent

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? Yes

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? I would highly recommend this hospital and surgeon to anyone who has a loved one with a chd. There is also a Ronald McDonald House for people who are from out-of-town.

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Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, Texas)

What CHD does/did your child have? Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

What was done to correct this CHD? Norwood Procedure

Where was your child's surgery done? Texas Children's Hospital of Houston

Who did the surgery? Dr. Charles Fraser

When was the surgery done? January 2004

What did you think of the hospital and staff? A little to family oriented for their own good. A lot of complacency in the CVICU unit which I feel directly affects the care of the patient. Communication breakdown is a problem.

What did you think of the surgeon? I believe that Dr. Fraser and Dr. Mackenzie are phenomenal - however, once surgery is over, the patient is ultimately in another doctor's care.

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? At this time my answer would be no. Surgically I think things are great but unfortunately we encountered problems in the unit post operatively.

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? Don't just consult with the surgeon. Consult with the doctor on the CVICU . Always write down your questions and ask more than one doctor the same question to help keep a clear picture on the patients status. Communication is key - make sure YOU understand what you are hearing. If you do not understand ask them to explain it another way until you do.

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Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, Texas)

What CHD does/did your child have? VSD/ASD/PDA with Pulmonary Hypertension

What was done to correct this CHD? Open Heart surgery at 5 mo. old, using a pericardium patch for the huge VSD. The PDA and ASD were stitched close. His PH was relieved with closing of his holes.

Where was your child's surgery done? Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH)

Who did the surgery? Dr. Charles Fraser

When was the surgery done? 3/10/2004

What did you think of the hospital and staff? Phenomenal! They were so compassionate, providing us answers to every question; their expertise made us feel at ease and during the operation we were updated every 45-60 minutes!

What did you think of the surgeon? Excellent – couldn’t have asked for a better surgeon!

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? In a heartbeat J

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? Don’t hesitate – go! They have Ronald McDonald rooms’ right in the hospital, as well as a big RM House just a few blocks down the road. The Cardiology team is wonderful, and if you are looking for a pediatric cardiologist, I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Nancy Ayres – she is incredible!

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University Hospital (San Antonio, Texas)

What CHD does/did your child have? Tetralogy of Fallot

What was done to correct this CHD? Open Heart Surgery

Where was your child's surgery done? Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas

Who did the surgery? Dr. Venkatesan Srinivasan

When was the surgery done? 10/10/02

What did you think of the hospital and staff? They were absolutely wonderful

What did you think of the surgeon? He was the best that I could have asked for. He was very thorough and particular even after the surgery. He also explained everything very well prior to the surgery.

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? In a minute. In fact, I still send him a Christmas Card every year.

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? I highly recommend both the surgeon and the hospital.

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University Hospital (San Antonio, Texas)

What CHD does/did your child have? Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

What was done to correct this CHD? Norwood, Glenn and angioplasty and Fontan in 6 months with a valve replacement. Although it will never be "corrected".

Where was your child's surgery done? Children's Methodist Hospital in San Antonio Texas

Who did the surgery? Dr. Venkatesan Srinivasan

When was the surgery done? Norwood - 1-28-02, Angioplasty - 2-25-02, Glenn - 5-21-02

What did you think of the hospital and staff? All are amazing!

What did you think of the surgeon? The best next to Dr. Norwood himself!

Would you take your child back to this facility/surgeon? Absolutly! And we will very soon.

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? Don't hesitate. They are all wonderful people! And excellent doctors!

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University Hospital (San Antonio, Texas)

What CHD does/did your child have? Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (his specific details were: aortic atresia, hypoplastic aortic arch, LARGE VSD, hypoplastic left ventricle, and there might be some others that I was not aware of)

What was done to correct this CHD? 5 open heart surgeries and 5 cardiac caths. The surgeries he had are: Modified Norwood Stage 1(5 days old), Shunt Revision & Neoaortaplasty (4 1/2 months), Bi-directional Glen (10 months), Extra-Cardiac Conduit Fenestrated Fontan (2 yrs 8 months) and Extra-Cardiac Conduit Nonfenestrated Fontan (3 yrs 7 months). He had his 1st cath the same day of his 2nd surgery......almost lost him...was supposed to be a pre Bi-directional Glen cath, then he had one a week before his Bi-directional Glen, one 2 weeks before his first Fontan. Then he had another cath in Jul 02 because she was trying to figure out why his sats were still so low. We weren't sure what was going to happen after that. There was some hope that it could have been corrected in the cath lab, but he ended up having to have another Fontan surgery. The 5th (last) cath was 2 weeks after his most recent Fontan. He had a stent placed in one of his veins.

Where was your child's surgery done? All of his procedures were done at University Hospital in San Antonio.

Who did the surgery? The surgeries were done by the most wonderful docs: Dr. John Calhoon and Dr. John Kupferschmid......we truly LOVE them. They are very compassionate and have great bedside manner, and you can see the love in their eyes that they have for their patients.

What did you think of the hospital and staff? The hospital and staff were all GREAT!!! We wouldn't take our son anywhere else!

Any advice for others looking at this facility/surgeon? If anyone was looking at this facility/surgeon I would tell them they would definitely be in the right place if they were to go there.

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