UC Davis Health
UC Davis Children's Hospital
Year in review: 2024-2025
Amanda Hodgkin with daughter Lillian and Frank Ing, M.D., chief of pediatric cardiology
Specialties

Amanda Hodgkin with daughter Lillian and Frank Ing, M.D., chief of pediatric cardiology.

Cardiology & Heart Surgery

“This team at UC Davis has been so amazing. This was probably one of the scariest things that has ever happened to us, but the UC Davis team has done amazing things for Lillian.”

– Amanda Hodgkin, whose daughter Lillian was the first child in the region to receive an innovative stent that will grow with her into adulthood.

  • World’s first to implant a dual chamber leadless pacemaker into a child

    UC Davis Director of Pediatric Electrophysiology Dan Cortez, M.D., Ph.D., is the first to implant a dual chamber leadless pacemaker in a child. In this minimally invasive procedure, the pacemaker was implanted via the right internal jugular vein (instead of the femoral vein), so the patient could move easily and resume exercise and sports sooner. The device, called the AVEIR dual chamber leadless pacemaker, is different from traditional pacemakers because it has no leads or cords and is absorbed by the heart.

  • Pediatric cardiology team treats rare adult congenital heart defect

    Gita had lived her whole life unaware of a rare congenital heart defect known as atrial septal defect (ASD) with partial anomalous venous return (PAPVR). When she began feeling unusually exhausted, she turned to UC Davis Health. By exploring her anatomy through a VR headset, Frank Ing, M.D., chief of pediatric cardiology, pinpointed the issue and implanted a specialized covered stent, closing the defect and restoring proper blood flow from the pulmonary veins to the heart.

  • UC Davis Pediatric Heart Center re-accredited by national organization

    In 2024 our Pediatric Heart Center’s Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory was the only site in Sacramento to be re-accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in pediatric and congenital transthoracic, pediatric and congenital transesophageal and fetal echocardiography. The accreditation showcases our center’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality care for children and pregnant women.

  • Nationally ranked

    Our pediatric cardiology program ranked 34th nationally in Newsweek’s America’s Best Children’s Hospitals 2025 survey.