Research: Clinical Research
The Michigan Congenital Heart Center is very active in broad range of clinical research that involves all areas of pediatric cardiology and cardiovascular surgery using a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach. Ongoing projects include:
Echocardiology/MRI
Dr. Ensing and Dr. van der Velde direct a very busy clinical echocardiography laboratory that combines world-class clinical care with innovative research. Under their direction, the Michigan Congenital Heart Center has been actively expanding the diagnostic capabilities of ultrasound and other forms of non-invasive assessment. The laboratory’s focus has been on the echocardiographic assessment of intracardiac hemodynamics. Recent publications and abstracts presented at national meetings have defined the intricacies of assessment of aortic stenosis, examined the diastolic function during and after catheter closure of atrial septal defects, identified echocardiographic indicators of heart rejection in transplant patients, examined measures of diastolic function and elevated pressures after repair of transposition of the great arteries, reported the incidence of coronary occlusion in patients with proximal aorto-pulmonary connections for single ventricle lesions, the examined the effect of Sickle Cell Disease on right ventricular pressure, and assessed the affects of pulmonary artery banding in patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries. The research efforts of the fetal echocardiography/prenatal assessment program, directed by Dr. Carlen Gomez-Fifer, have centered on the investigation of outcomes of various cardiac lesions including atrioventricular septal defect and hypoplastic left heart syndrome, as well as echocardiographic direction of fetal cardiac intervention.
To help lead in the development of echocardiography in the evaluation and treatment of congenital heart disease, the MCHC in association with the Department of Pediatrics, and the University of Michigan Department of Engineering will open in 2008 a multidisciplinary investigative laboratory for the study of ultrasound monitoring and therapy that will be headed by Dr. Achiau Ludomirsky. This laboratory, staffed by pediatric cardiologists, mechanical engineers, bioengineers, and other scientists within the university will work to develop ultrasound technologies for heart therapy (ultrasound aided delivery of medications, ultrasound creation of cardiac lesions and other areas), as well as provide a resource for ultrasound investigation of therapies from the smallest animals, through the human fetus and to the adult human.
Intensive Care Unit/ Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory
Dr. Charpie heads the Pediatric Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit and, along with Drs. Aiyigari, Armstrong, Bocks, Crowley and Ryerson, directs a number of studies examining approaches to improve patient outcomes through. Ongoing research trials include:
- Intravenous N-acetylcysteine Attenuates Myocardial Dysfunction after Congenital Heart Surgery in Children
- Planning Hypothermia Trial for Pediatric Cardiac Arrest
- A Randomized Clinical Trial of Strict Glycemic Control vs Standard Therapy in Pediatric Cardiac Surgical Patients
- Therapeutic Hypothermia in the Management of Low Cardiac Output Syndrome after Heart Surgery in Children
- Decreased Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility and Endothelial Dysfunction in Children with a Cavopulmonary Anastomosis
- Clopidogrel to Lower Arterial Thrombotic Risk in Neonates and Infants Trial (CLARINET)
- Continuous Regional Oximetry Predicts Early Postoperative Morbidity in Neonates and Infants with Congenital Heart Disease
Read about the additional clinical projects sponsored by the Divison of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery.