The Heart Beat
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Volume 6, Issue 1 Winter 2015 Children’s Heart Center THE HEART BEAT Goryeb Children’s Hospital Morristown Medical Center HRISTINE ONNELLY 100 Madison Ave. T HE D IRECTOR ’ S C UT C D , M D Morristown, NJ 07962 Goryeb Children’s Center Heart History: Pioneers in world of children born with Overlook Medical Center Pediatric Cardiology-The cyanotic heart defects but in 99 Beauvoir Ave. Collaboration of Helen the birth of pediatric cardio- Summit, NJ 07901 Taussig, Alfred Blalock vascular medicine. Newton Medical Center and Vivien Thomas “to elen Taussig obtained 175 High Street seek a newer world” – the her doctor of medicine Newton, NJ 07860 th H 70 year anniversary degree from Johns Hopkins Flemington Specialty Pediatric Care his year is the 70th anni- University in 1927, a time 194 Route 31 versary of the first pallia- when few women were phy- Flemington, NJ 08822 T tive operation to help chil- sicians and some medical Physicians dren born with severe cya- schools did not even accept Christine Donnelly, MD-Director notic congenital heart de- women as students. Under vessel was able to bypass Stuart Kaufman, MD the area of obstruction and Donna M. Timchak, MD fects. There is no other pro- the mentorship of Dr. Ed- Suzanne Mone, MD cedure in the history of pedi- ward Park, she was placed provide blood to the lungs. Lauren Rosenthal, MD, MPH atric cardiology that changed in charge of the cardiac unit She was convinced that Aparna Prasad, MD the lives of so many and so at the Harriet Lane Home for most of her cyanotic patients Leonardo Liberman, MD-EP Consult. could be helped by creation quickly than what is now Invalid Children at Johns Nurses known as the Blalock- Hopkins Hospital and began of an “artificial ductus.” She Maria Lawton, RN, BSN Taussig shunt. In honor of her life’s work in the care of needed, however, to con- Megan Dickinson, RN, BSN vince a potential “creator” of Andrea Winner, RN, BSN, CEN this landmark event, we are patients with congenital reprinting the story of this heart disease. After a dec- such. Technologists achievement from our first ade of observations and care r. Taussig approached Colleen Henderson, RCS, RDCS- issue of The Heart Beat. of her “blue babies” she de- PE,FE, Lead Clinician D Dr. Alfred Blalock, the Alexis Terlaje, RCS, RDCS-PE,FE, Blalock, Taussig and Thom- termined that most of her newly appointed Chief of Lead Technologist as were true pioneers and patients were blue because Surgery at Hopkins with her Bhavisha Pandya, RDCS the world of pediatric cardiol- of insufficient blood to the idea. Dr. Blalock with the Alla Greenberg, RDCS Ashley DeRosa, RCCS ogy will be forever indebted lungs. What is truly remark- aid of his surgical assistant Kelli Vranch, RDCS to this remarkable team. able is that she was able to Vivien Thomas had previ- Ginamarie Casale, RCS, RDCS, RVS oday, there are as many determine this through her ous experience with creating clinical skills and armed with this artificial ductus but for a Medical Assistants T adults living with con- Joanne Kobylinski genital heart disease as rather rudimentary diagnos- different indication. Over the Kimphany Chillious there are children. This tic tools of a stethoscope (an next year, Vivien Thomas Martha Henao amplified one since Dr. was able to create an animal speaks to the advances and Social Worker successes in pediatric cardi- Taussig was nearly deaf), model of “cyanotic heart Margaret Micchelli, LCSW ovascular medicine that fluoroscopy (X-ray) and a disease” and tested the new have occurred over the past crude electrocardiogram. operation in his laboratory. Administrative Staff (There were no echocardio- Lynn Vanderyajt- Business Coord. decades. It is hard to imag- Sooner than anticipated, the Diann Vivar ine, therefore, a time in the gram machines or cardiac operation was performed on Sandy Segreto not too distant past when catheterization laboratories one of Dr. Taussig’s patients Tina Brown at that time). She observed because of her rapidly dete- Pat Orlando children born with congenital heart disease, especially that her patients with critical riorating condition. On No- Phone: (973) 971-5996 those defects resulting in pulmonic stenosis which vember 29, 1944, Dr. Alfred Fax: (973) 290-7979 cyanosis causing the “blue limited blood flow to the Blalock with Vivien Thomas Visit the Children's Heart Center Web lungs did better if their Site babies” rarely survived past standing behind him for childhood. And yet such ductus arteriosus ( a natu- guidance, “created” the first Edited by: was the case in the 1940s rally occurring vessel that “artificial ductus” shunt in 15 Margaret Micchelli & Stuart Kaufman when a remarkable collabo- connects the aorta and pul- month old Eileen Saxon and ration resulted not only in a monary artery before birth) history was made. After revolutionary change in the remained patent, since this (continued on page 3) Save the Date: Valentine Party February 15, 2015 The Heart Beat Volume 6, Issue 1 Page 2 N URSES ’ N OTES S TAFF H IGHLIGHT M ARIA L AWTON , R N , B S N P EDIATRIC N URSE All You Need to Know About Sports began working in the division of pediatric cardiology in February Clearance I of 2006. Many of you know me from encounters during office Andrea Winner, RN, BSN visits or perhaps from dialogue on the phone. In either case, it’s a privilege to work for this department and be part of a team to which Even if your child has you entrust your most cherished gem, your children. no activity restrictions attended nursing school at Seton Hall University and after gradu- from a cardiac perspec- I ation my journey in healthcare began. Working in various areas tive, the school may still and trying to find what it was that would bring me satisfaction and a need a sports clearance sense of accomplishment was my goal. One afternoon, I met a form. family whose child had significant heart disease and I recall being very curious and intrigued. Please familiarize your- For weeks afterwards, it consumed my thoughts and I found myself reading about cardiac self ahead of time with anomalies. It was then I realized I had to pursue this interest in pediatric cardiology. your school’s specific hen I’m not working, my time is spent with my husband and two children. I enjoy time requirements and outdoors at sporting events, gardening, swimming, bike riding, jogging, cooking and forms. W entertaining my family and friends. My absolute favorite pastime is sitting back with my hus- The best time to request band as we watch and listen to the sound of our children’s laughter and happiness. I relish sports clearance is at these times and hope that my involvement in any child’s life will allow many parents to treasure your regularly sched- similar moments. uled pediatric cardiology appointment. Think ahead! If your appointment is in the CARDIOLOGY AND G ENETICS D ARIUS J . A DAMS , M D spring, you can still re- quest the form for fall or ver the past decade, numerous discoveries have provided evidence winter sports. O about the genetic etiologies of congenital heart defects and the roles Due to high volume at that these genes play. Although there is still much to be learned, these the beginning of the advances point to better care for pediatric cardiology families. school year, we may be hen cardiac defects are seen in junction with other anomalies, ra- unable to respond im- W ther than presenting as a single medical problem, the etiology is mediately to your sports often easier to identify. However, such syndromes account for less than clearance request. 20% of congenital heart defects identified. An RN answers phone hromosome analysis, by blood test or cheek swab, can identify nu- messages on Monday- C meric chromosome abnormalities and sometimes provide information Friday from 9am-4pm. about deletions and duplications of large amounts of genetic material. We have been testing Calls are returned in for syndromic conditions involving heart defects, such as DiGeorge syndrome (22q deletion) order of medical urgen- and Williams syndrome, by this method for years. cy (chest pain, Rx re- owever, there are a large number of single gene disorders that have cardiac involvement. fills, etc.) with sports H Specific gene panels are available to test for Marfan’s or thoracic aneurysm-related dis- clearance as a lower orders or Noonan syndrome which is genetically heterogenous. Recent technology, such as priority. whole exome sequencing, has identified mutations that play a role in congenital heart disease OUR NEW PROCE- that have not been included in these panels before. DURE: Please submit a ardiomyopathy and Long QT syndrome are heart conditions, not immediately identifiable stamped, self- C at birth or in early childhood, that also have a genetic etiology. Therefore, testing earlier in addressed envelope a child’s lifetime due to a family history of these conditions may provide better opportunities to with the form and it will proactively manage these diseases. be mailed back within verall, genetics plays a much greater role in the field of cardiology than was previously 10 days. O thought. It’s important that as we proceed with genetic testing that we take part in col- Thanks for working with laborative databases to better understand the role that genetics plays and how to best help the nursing team to affected families. Clinical and research laboratories are encouraged to share identified muta- make this a smooth tions and a description of the patient’s symptoms in order to better understand the genetic process for all! basis of cardiac conditions.