Patient story: Referrals lead to early detection of congenital heart defect |
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A high-risk second pregnancy led obstetricians to refer patient Anne to Minnesota Perinatal Physicians (MPP), part of Allina Health, for an early consultation. At 20 weeks, a Level II ultrasound at MPP revealed the fetus had a complex heart defect.
This discovery led to a second referral to the fetal cardiology team at the Midwest Fetal Care Center (MWFCC), a collaboration between Children’s Minnesota and Allina Health. At MWFCC, Anne and her husband Josh met with Lisa Howley, MD, a fetal cardiologist with The Children’s Heart Clinic and the director of fetal cardiology at Children’s Minnesota. Dr. Howley diagnosed the fetus with truncus arteriosus type 1, a rare congenital heart defect where the heart’s two main blood vessels don’t form correctly, resulting in one large artery.
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“Early detection of congenital heart defects is crucial,” emphasized Dr. Howley. “Diagnosing Ollie before he was born allowed our fetal cardiology team to partner with the family and their obstetric team to create a personalized delivery and treatment plan. Our approach improves outcomes and gives families clarity on what to expect during an otherwise uncertain time.”
Throughout Anne’s pregnancy, Dr. Howley and the cardiovascular team at Children’s Minnesota continued to share care with Anne’s primary obstetrics team. She delivered as planned at 39 weeks at The Mother Baby Center, a partnership between Allina Health and Children’s Minnesota. The baby was seamlessly transferred to the Cardiovascular Care Center (CVCC) at Children's Minnesota where a team of specialists was waiting for him to continue care.
Read more about this story here.
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Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) for all levels of need | |
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More than 500 neonatal care experts, including neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners care for newborns with a full range of conditions in our hospitals and special care nurseries (SCN), which include Levels II-IV neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
Level IV neonatal care – the highest level of care designated by The American Academy of Pediatrics – is provided at our Minneapolis campus. In total, Children’s Minnesota’s neonatology program has nearly 200 beds at the following locations:
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- Level IV NICU – 44 beds
- Level II SCN – 33 beds
- Infant care center (ICC) – 41 beds
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Children’s Minnesota also partners with other community health systems to provide a high level of care in a setting that is close to home for the patient and their family. Partner health systems include Ridgeview Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Waconia and the St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee.
Read more about the neonatology program at Children’s Minnesota.
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Ask A Specialist: submit your questions about neuroscience care |
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All health care professionals can use ask Ask a Specialist, an online program that offers direct access to Children’s Minnesota’s pediatric specialists, including our pediatric neuroscience specialists. Through this service, our kid experts can provide guidance on how to diagnose and treat pediatric brain and nervous system illness and injuries from birth to age 21.
Here's an example of a common neuroscience question we receive. Meysam Kebriaei, MD, pediatric neurosurgeon and medical director of the neurosurgery program at Children’s Minnesota, provided the answer.
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Question:
At what point should a patient with epilepsy be considered for a surgical consultation?
Answer:
The clinical protocol at Children’s Minnesota for epilepsy surgical consideration is two failed medication trials. In some studies, up to 25% of children with epilepsy have seizures that aren’t controlled quickly with medications. If this is the case for any of your patients, we recommend they be seen by an epilepsy specialist.
Children's Minnesota and Minnesota Epilepsy Group have a Level 4 Epilepsy Center, which offers the highest level of diagnosis and treatment options. As one of the largest pediatric epilepsy centers in the country, we treat well over 700 patients every year. We would be happy to consult with you on the care of your patients with epilepsy.
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Ask a Specialist questions are triaged by Children’s Minnesota pediatric specialists and then directed to the appropriate pediatric health care professional. Our teams aim to respond to all requests within 10 business days. Read more about the service here.
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Pediatric acute wound care and suturing courses |
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Health care professionals who repair lacerations or provide wound care for children are invited to participate in two learning opportunities from Children’s Minnesota. Online lectures and in-person training sessions teach attendees about suturing techniques, laceration repair, sedation, and a variety of skills related to acute wound management for kids.
Pediatric Wound and Suturing Online Modules
This course is an online, self-service format with video presentations and learning checks.
Hands-on Pediatric Wound and Suturing Workshops
Optional workshops are held in the 2nd Floor Education Center of the Children's Minnesota – Minneapolis Hospital.
April 30, 2025, 9am - 1pm
October 21, 2025, 9am - 1pm
Note: Completion of the online course modules is a prerequisite to attend the in-person workshop.
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Share the knowledge
If you find this newsletter valuable, we invite you to send this email to your colleagues so that they can learn about what's happening at Children's Minnesota. If this email was forwarded to you, we encourage you to sign up for the Children's Minnesota Clinician Digest.
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| Talking Pediatrics podcast
Join us as we bring intriguing stories and relevant pediatric health care information and partner with you in the care of your patients.
Listen to previously recorded Talking Pediatrics: Championing Equity For Our Children and Families
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Hear from a kid expert
Health care organizations and other allied health professionals can hear directly from Children’s Minnesota’s physicians and other providers about the latest in pediatric research, clinical procedures and innovations, and more through our Kid Experts On Demand program. To get started, submit a request.
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Children's Minnesota Physician Access |
24/7 access to referrals, consults and admissions.
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