Pediatric cardiothoracic surgery
Leaders in diagnosing and treating infants, children and adolescents with congenital and acquired heart defects
The Pediatric Heart Center at UC Davis Children's Hospital is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of specialists dedicated to providing advanced, compassionate cardiac care for children. Our team includes pediatric cardiologists, pediatric heart surgeons, pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists and specialized cardiac nurses, and experts trained in the latest diagnostic and therapeutic technologies.
Children who require surgery are cared for by our experienced pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons, Gary Raff, M.D. and Tim Pirolli, M.D., alongside a highly skilled advanced practice nursing team including Mary Zanobini, N.P. and Janet Horel, N.P. Together, our staff provides personalized care and ongoing support for patients and families throughout hospitalization, recovery, and rehabilitation.
Caring to Share
"Families with infants with complex congenital heart defects are under a lot of stress and pressure. It's better for infants and for families to have friends and loved ones close at hand during such a challenging time in their lives."
— Pediatric heart surgeon Gary Raff
Caring to Share actively provides a pathway to facilitate secure, privacy-focused correspondence between recipients and donor families of CryoLife® processed human tissue allografts. Since many surviving families of donors want to know the final outcome of their loved one's gift, the opportunity to connect with you can provide comfort for them. If you are a recipient of a CryoLife® processed human tissue allograft and would like to receive correspondence from the donor's family visit the Caring to Share website at www.caringtoshare.org to register.
Call the Pediatric Heart Center to make an appointment 916-734-3456
Faculty
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Gary Raff, M.D., F.A.C.S. Co-Chair, Children's Hospital Multidisciplinary Continuous Quality Assurance Committee Surgical Director, Pediatric Heart Center Chief, Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery Interim Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Professor of Clinical Surgery |
Specialities : Surgery - Thoracic Pediatric Surgery Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Surgery - Cardiothoracic |
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Tim Pirolli, M.D. Associate Professor of Surgery Division of Congenital Heart Surgery |
Specialities : Heart Failure Surgery Congenital Heart Surgery |
Ellie's story
When Mathew Hipwell’s 3-year-old son, Everett, caught RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) — a common respiratory virus that can be dangerous for some infants and young children — in October of 2021, Hipwell urged him to steer clear of baby sister, Ellie. As a pediatric nurse at UC Davis Children’s Surgery Center, Hipwell knew his daughter was especially susceptible. Soon she was coughing, too...