Florida Hospital Best in Care: Women and Children - Summer 2012 - (Page 3)

Keeping Little Hearts Isabella Quiroga and her family had to travel to St. Petersburg for treatment. Soon, other families won’t need to. Healthy Now babies like Isabella won’t have to leave home for congenital heart disease care. EVENT JULY Isabella Nicole, wearing a blue dress and bows in her hair, is a brighteyed, beautiful child. She runs, plays and explores as her mother, Melissa Batulevicius, looks on. It’s hard to imagine that two years ago, Isabella was ﬁghting to live. She had a congenital heart defect Constantine called coarctation of the aorta. Her Mavroudis, MD, Congenital Cardiac feet were cold and blue and she had Surgery trouble breathing. The main artery coming o her heart was so narrow that blood couldn’t pass through. Agustin Ramos, MD, pediatric cardiologist with Florida Hospital for Children, diagnosed Isabella days after her birth in March 2010. Shortly thereafter, Isabella was transferred to a St. Petersburg hospital, where she underwent Agustin Ramos, open-heart surgery. Needles and MD, Pediatric tubes projected from her tiny body Cardiology and she had a long black and blue scar down the center of her small chest. “It was horrible,” Melissa says of the ﬁrst time she and her husband, Sergio Quiroga, saw their baby in the ICU. “It seemed like the end of the world.” Adds Sergio, “And being so far from family and friends, along with the expense of travel and lodging, added to our worries.” Isabella made it through surgery and, despite undergoing speech and occupational therapy for minor complications, will lead a normal life. PREVENT CONGENITAL HEART CONDITIONS Join our pediatric heart specialists as they discuss congenital heart conditions as well as new and exciting treatment options at 7 pm July 26 during a FREE online seminar. Register online at FloridaHospitalForChildren.com/Heart today. A HAPPY ENDING FOR FUTURE BABIES, TOO Dr. Ramos says that almost 1 percent of babies are born with congenital heart disease. Soon, those who need surgery will not have to travel far to seek hospital care. This summer, Florida Hospital for Children is launching a Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgical Program with world-class surgeons and sta . Physicians who suspect something is wrong with a child’s heart — whether it requires medication, cardiac catheterization or something more complex — will be able to send their patients to receive care immediately. “It’s going to be a quantum leap improvement in the quality of care for children born with congenital heart disease,” Dr. Ramos says. “One of the greatest privileges we have as surgeons is correcting heart defects in children and young adults,” says Constantine Mavroudis, MD, pediatric cardiovascular surgeon and medical director of the program. “The program will o er patients care right here in Central Florida so they can go home much better than when they arrived.” Melissa and Sergio, who gave Isabella, 2, a little brother last September, say people comment on how brave they were to handle their daughter’s crisis away from home. “We’re so glad Florida Hospital will have this program for future ‘Isabellas,’ ” remarks Melissa. Beneﬁt from Experience Florida Hospital for Children is launching a comprehensive pediatric cardiovascular program including cardiology and cardiac surgery services. Leading the team is Constantine Mavroudis, MD, a nationally recognized pediatric heart surgeon with more than 40 years of experience in the ﬁeld. HEALTHY 00tips Make your home an oasis by surrounding yourself with things that nurture your sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste in a positive manner. YOU CONTROL YOUR ENVIRONMENT FloridaHospital.com 3 http://www.FloridaHospitalForChildren.com/Heart http://www.FloridaHospital.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Florida Hospital Best in Care: Women and Children - Summer 2012

Florida Hospital Best in Care: Women and Children - Summer 2012
Brand New Day
Control epilepsy with personalized treatment
Not even two surgeries can keep Tampa teen from AP exams
A perfect summer salad recipe

Florida Hospital Best in Care: Women and Children - Summer 2012