Aliessa P. Barnes, M.D.
Shannon E. Blalock, M.D.
Sarah D. Blumenschein, M.D.
Michael D. Day, M.D.
V. Vivian Dimas, M.D.
David E. Fixler, M.D.
Candace Gibbin, M.D.
Lisa C. Heistein, M.D.
Catherine M. Ikemba, M.D.
Colin Kane, M.D.
Matthew S. Lemler, M.D.
Lynn Mahony, M.D.
Alan W. Nugent, M.D.
Claudio Ramaciotti, M.D.
William A. Scott, M.D.
Thomas Zellers, M.D.
Ilana J. Zeltser, M.D.

William A. Scott, M.D.

Professor of Pediatrics
Chief of Cardiology
Director of Electrophysiology

Medical Education:  Indiana University School of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Special Interests:  Arrhythmias, interventional electrophysiology, pacemakers, syncope and neuromuscular disease

Recent Publications:

• Scott WA. Syncope and evaluation of the autonomic nervous system. In Moss & Adams’ Heart Disease in Infants, Children and Adolescents, Including the Fetus and Young Adult, edited by Emmanoulides, Reimenschneider, Allen & Gutgesell Baltimore, MD, Williams & Wilkins, 2001, pages 443-451.
• Scott WA and Iannacconne ST. Intensive care management including cardiorespiratory care. In Neuromuscular Disorders of Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence, A Clinician's Approach, edited by Jones De Vivo and Darras, MA, Butterworth Heinemann, 2003, pages 1237-1250.
• Saul JP, ScottW, Brown S, Marantz P, Etheridge S, Perry J, Triedman JK, Acevedo V, Burriss  Cargo P, Wang R, Graepel J: Intravenous Amiodarone for Incessant Tachyarrhythmias in Children: A Randomized Double-Blinded Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Trial, Circulation, 2005;112:3470-3477.
• Scott WA. First and Second Degree Atrioventricular Block In Cardiac Electrophysiology in the Young, edited by Dick.  Cambridge, MA, Springer, 2006

Current Projects:

• Heart Rate Turbulence in patients with Congenital Heart Disease
• Transthoracic Cardioversion of Atrial Flutter and Atrial Fibrillation in Pediatric Patients and Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: A Multicenter, Prospective Evaluation of Shock Requirements, Waveforms and Impedance
• Evaluation of non-contact electrocardiographic recording systems
• Signal averaged ECG to assess heart transplant rejection in pediatric patients
  Indications for ICD implantation in pediatric patient

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Aliessa P. Barnes, M.D.

Assistant Professor or Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas
Cardiology Fellowship:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas

Recent Publication:

• Barnes A, Daneman S, Guleserian K, Ring WS, Fixler DE. Low Cylex™ Immune Response Associated with Increased Risk of Infection in Pediatric Heart Transplants. J Heart Lung Transplant 2009; 27 (2): S242.

Current Projects:

• Oxygen Supplementation in Echocardiographic Detection of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery
• Low CylexTM Immune Response Is Associated with Increased Risk of Infection in Pediatric Heart Transplants
• Impact of a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease on parental attachment and anxiety
• Evaluation of a noninvasive scoring system to identify acute rejection in pediatric cardiac transplant patients
• Long term effect of Velcade on antibody suppression in a pediatric heart transplant patient with humeral rejection

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Shannon E. Blalock, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education: Texas A&M College of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Special Interests: Heart transplantation;Cardiac MRI

Recent Publications:

• Blalock SE, Matulevicius S, Mitchell LC, Reimold S, Warner J, Peshock R, Torres F, Chin KM.  Long-term Outcomes with Ambrisentan Monotherapy in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Journal of Cardiac Failure. (In press)

Research Projects:

• Right ventricular changes in pulmonary arterial hypertension and systemic right ventricles
• Cardiac MRI

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Sarah D. Blumenschein, M.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Preventive Cardiology

Medical Education:  Cornell University Medical College
Cardiology Fellowship:  Duke University
Special Interests:  Diagnosis and treatment of children with familial lipid disorders

Recent Publications:

• Idriss, F.S., Paul, MlH. and Blumenschein, S.D. Medical management of infants with atrial septal defect- ventricular septal defect. 1972
  
• Blumenschein, S.D., Barr, R.C., Spach, M.S. and Gentzler, R.C. Quantitative Frank vectorcardiograms of normal children and a comparison to those of patients with atrial defects.  Am Heart J  83(3): 382-399 , 1972
  
• Idriss, F.S., Nikaidoh, H., Paul, M.H., Blumenschein, S.D. and Riker, W.L. Early repair of ventricular septal defect in infants and young children. Arch Surg , 103: 265 , 1971
  
• Blumenschein, S.D. Nutrition in cardiac disease. Lorenzen EJ (ed) Dietary Guidelines, Texas Children's Hospital , 1985
  
• Blumenschein, S.D. Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease and Neonatal Polycythemia. Essential of Pediatric Intensive Care 2nd Ed. edited by Levin & Morriss: 211-219 , 1997
  

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Michael D. Day, M.D

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas
Cardiology Fellowship:  Boston Children's Hospital
Advanced Training:  Chief Fellow Boston Children's Hospital Cardiology Fellowship Program
Special Interests:  Echocardiography; Fetal Echocardiograph; Preventive Cardiology

Recent Publications:

• Day M, Gauvereau K, Shulman S, Newburger J. Characteristics of Children Hospitalized with Infective Endocarditis. Circulation : November 2008
  
• Leavey PJ, Day M, Booth T, Maale G. Skip Metastasis in Osteosarcoma. J Pediatric Hematology Oncology. 25: 806-8, September 2003
  
• Day M, Edwards A, Leavey P. Successful Chemotherapy in a case of Infantile Myofibromatosis with Visceral and Choroidal Involvement. Pediatric Oncology , 38 (5): 371-3 , May 2002
  

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V. Vivian Dimas, M.D

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital
Advanced Training:  Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplantation 4th year training in diagnostic/interventional catheterization Baylor College of Medicine Texas Children’s Hospital

Special Interests: Percutaneous therapies for the treatment of congestive heart failure.

Recent Publications:

• Dimas VV, Kovalchin JP, McKenzie ED, Kung GC.  Infected Pseudoaneurysm of a Right Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt.  Pediatr Cardiol. 2004; 25(6): 700-701.
• Dimas VV, Grifka RG, Fraser CD.  Combined Tricuspid Valvuloplasty and Superior Cavopulmonary Anastomosis for Repair of Traumatic Tricuspid Valve Injury.    Tex Heart Inst J 2004; 31(4): 418-420. 
• Dimas, VV, Taylor MD, Cunnygham CG, Overholt ED, Bourne DW, Stanley JR, Shiekh A, Wolf R, Valentine B, Ward KE. Transplacental Pharmacokinetics of Flecainide in the Gravid Baboon and Fetus.   Pediatr Cardiol. 2005 Nov-Dec; 26(6): 815-20.
• Carlson KM, Justino H, O’Brien RE, Dimas VV, Leonard GT, Pignatelli RH, Mullins CE, Smith EO, Grifka RG.  Transcatheter Atrial Septal Defect Closure: Modified Balloon Sizing Technique to Avoid Overstretching the Defect and Oversizing the Amplatzer Septal Occluder.  Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2005 Nov; 66(3): 390-6.
• Kim JJ, Dreyer WJ, O’Brian Smith E, Price JF, Clunie S, Dimas VV, Jefferies JL, Rosenblatt H, Radovancevic B, Towbin JA, Denfield SW.  Leukocyte suppression is associated with improved clinical outcomes in children’s status after orthotopic heart transplantation.  J Heart Lung Transplant.  2006 Feb; 25(2): 195-9.
• Jefferies JL, Denfield SW, Price JF, Dreyer WJ, McMahon CJ, Grenier MA, Kim JJ, Dimas VV, Clunie SK, Moffett BS, Chang AC, Wann TL, Smith EO, Towbin JA.  A prospective evaluation of nesiritide treatment of pediatric heart failure.  Pediatr Cardiol. 2006 Jul-Aug; 27(4):402-7.
• Dimas VV, Leonard SR, Guleserian KJ, Forbess JM, Zellers TM.  Stent implantation for coarctation of the aorta in a premature infant via carotid cutdown as a bridge to surgical correction.  Accepted for publication.  Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
• Dimas VV, Denfield SW, Friedman RA, Cannon BC, Kim JJ, Smith EO, Clunie SK, Price JF, Towbin JA, Dreyer WJ, Kertesz NK.  Frequency of cardiac death in children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.  Accepted for publication American Journal of Cardiology

Current Projects:

• Dimas (PI) - 12/03/2009 – present - AGA Medical Corporation - AMPLATZER^® Duct Occluder II Clinical Study. This study is a single arm, prospective clinical study to collect safety and efficacy data on the  AMPLATZER^® Duct Occluder (ADO II) for patients with patent ductus arteriosus.  This data ill support a supplement pre-market application to the AMPLATZER Duct Occluder (ADO) PMA (P020024).
• Dimas (PI) - 05/21/2009 – present -  UT Southwestern Medical Center - Coarctation of the Aorta: Long Term Outcomes and Comorbidities. This study will evaluate patients following coarctation of the aorta repair for evidence of arterial dysfunction, a risk factor for future cardiac morbidity. 
• Dimas (PI) - 02/06/2008 – 04/03/2009 - UT Southwestern Medical Center - A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Combination Vasopressin and Epinephrine to Epinephrine Only for In-Hospital Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. The primary goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that pediatric patients who are refractory to the first dose of epinephrine, and receive vasopressin rescue for cardiopulmonary arrest will demonstrate improved clinical outcomes compared to children receiving epinephrine only

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David E. Fixler, M.D

Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Chicago
Cardiology Fellowship:  Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco
Postdoctoral:  University of London, MSc, Epidemiology
Special Interests:  Hypertension, Kawasaki disease, heart transplantation

Recent Publications:

• McBride KL, Marengo L, Canfield M, Langlois P, FixlerDE & Bellmont.  Epidemiology on non-complex left ventricular outflow tract obstruction malformations in Texas, 1999-2001 Birth Defects Research Par A:  Clin & Mol Terat 2005;73:555-561.
• Gilboa SM, Mendola P, Olshan AF, Savitz DA, Loomis D, Herring AH, FixlerDE.  Relationship between ambient air quality and selected birth defects, Seven County Study, Texas, 1997-2000.  Am J Epidemiol. 2005 162(3):238-52.
• Ghaffar S, Caughy M, FixlerDE. Proximity to hazardous waste sited and congenital heart disease. Arch Environ Health. 2004;59:177-181.

Current Projects:

• 8 year survival among children with complex single ventricle defects born in Texas, 1996-2004: A population based study.
• Pulse oximetry screening of term newborns at 4 hours of age to detect asymptomatic cyanotic congenital heart disease

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Candace Gibbin, MD

Assistant Professor Pediatrics

Medical Education: Medical College of Virginia
Cardiology Fellowship: Childrens Hospital National Medical Center
Special Interests: Echocardiography, Fetal Cardiac and Associated Congenital Anomalies and Kawasaki Disease; Community Outreach

Recent Publications:

• Gibbin C, Touch S, Broth RE, Berghella V.  Abdominal wall defects and congenital heart disease. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2003; 21(4):334-7.

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Lisa C. Heistein, M.D.

Assistant Professor Pediatrics

Medical Education:  The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Cardiac Imaging Fellowship:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center 
Special Interests:  Echocardiography, Fetal Echocardiography

Recent Publications:

• Heistein LC, Ramaciotti C, Scott WA, Coursey M, Sheeran PW, Lemler MS. Chloral hydrate sedation for pediatric echocardiography: physiologic responses, adverse events, and risk factors. Pediatr 2006;117(3):e1-8.
• Ramaciotti C, Heistein LC, Coursey M, Lemler MS, Eapen RS, Iannaccone ST, Scott WA. Left ventricular function and response to enalapril in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy during the second decade of life. Am J Cardiol. 2006 Sep 15;98(6):825-7. Epub 2006 Aug 2.
• Heistein LC, Scott WA, Zellers TM, Fixler DE, Ramaciotti C, Journeycake JM, Lemler MS. Aspirin resistance in children with heart disease at risk for thromboembolism: prevalence and possible mechanisms. Submitted for publication Sep 2006.

Current Projects:

• Early detection of pulmonary hypertension in adolescents with sickle cell disease
• Safety of sedation in the echocardiography laboratory
• The psychological impact of fetal diagnosis of congenital heart disease

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Catherine M. Ikemba, M.D

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Southern California School of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  Baylor College of Medicine
Advanced Echo Fellowship:  Baylor College of Medicine
Special Interests:  General echocardiography, ventricular function

Recent publications:

• Ikemba CM, Su JT, Stayer SA, Miller-Hance WC, Eidem BW, Bezold LI, et al.  Myocardial Performance Index with Sevoflurane/Pancuronium versus Fentanyl/Midazolam/Pancuronium in Infants with a Functional Single Ventricle. Anes 2004;101:1298-1305
• Ikemba CM, Eidem BW, Fraley JK, Eapen RS, Pignatelli R, Ayrea NA, et al.  Mitral Valve Morphology and Morbidity/Mortality in Shone’s Complex.   Amer J Card 2005;95:541-543
• Ikemba CM, Eidem BW, Dimas VV, O’Day MP. Fraser CD.  Fetal Rhabdomyoma Causing Postnatal Critical Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction. In Press, Ann Thoracic Surgery 2005 Oct;80(4):1529

Current Projects:

• When is TEE required for evaluation of the atrial septum in the Pediatric populaton?
• The role of matrix metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases and their regulators in patients with suspected acute inflammatory cardiomyopathy
• The psychological impact of fetal diagnosis of congenital heart disease
• Imaging of anomalous left coronary artery

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Colin Kane, M.D

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  Emory University, School of Medicine
Special Interests:  Echocardiography; Fetal Echocardiography

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Matthew S. Lemler, M.D

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Cardiology Fellowship:  University of Colorado Health Science Center
Special Interests:  Echocardiography, evaluation of diastolic function

Recent Publications:            

• Ghaffar S, Lemler M, Fixler D, Ramaciotti C. Trisomy 21 and congenital heart disease: Effect of timing of initial echocardiogram. Clin Ped 2005;44:39-42
• Lemler MS, Ramaciotti C, Stromberg D, Scott WA and Leonard SR. The extracardiac lateral tunnel Fontan, constructed with bovine pericardium: Comparison with the extracardiac conduit Fontan. Am Heart J, in press
• Heistein, LC, Ramaciotti C, Scott W, Coursey M, Sheeran PW, Lemler MS. Sedation for pediatric echocardiography: Physiologic responses, adverse events, and risk factors. Pediatrics, in pres

Current Projects:                                       

• Assessment of cardiac function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
• Safety of sedation in the echocardiography laboratory
• Anticoagulation issues in congenital heart disease
• Pre and post operative risk factors for short and long term Fontan outcome

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Lynn Mahony, M.D

Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Fellowship Program

Medical Education:  Stanford University
Cardiology Fellowship:  Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco
Special Interests:  Collaborative trials in pediatric cardiology, Marfan syndrome, cardiovascular evaluation of student athletes, treatment of myocardial dysfunction

Recent Publications:

• Stavinoha PL, FixlerDE, Mahony L. Cardiopulmonary bypass to repair an atrial septal defect does not affect cognitive function in children. Circulation 2003;107:2722-2725.
• Rosenthal D, Chrisant MRK, Edens E,  Mahony L et al. Practice Guidelines for Management of Heart Failure in Children, J Heart Lung Transplantation 2004 Dec;23(12):1313-33.
• Mahony L, Sleeper LA, Anderson PAW, Gersony WM, McCrindle BW, Minich LL, Newburger JW, Saul JP, Vetter VL, Pearson GD. The Pediatric Heart Network:  A Primer for the Conduct of Multicenter Studies in Children with Congenital and Acquired Heart Disease. Pediatr Cardiol, 2006;27:191-198.
• Sleeper LA, Anderson P, Hsu DT, Mahony L, McCrindle BW, Roth SJ, Saul JP, Williams RV, Geva T, Colan SD, Clark BJ. Design of a large cross-sectional study to facilitate future clinical trials in children with the fontan palliation. Am Heart J 2006;152:427-433.

Current Projects:                      

• Steering Committee Chair, Pediatric Heart Network (NHLBI)
• Use of carvedilol in children with dilated cardiomyopathy.
• Evaluation of the reliability, validity and responsiveness of the Pediatric Cardiac Quality of Life Inventory in children and adolescents with heart disease
• Open label study comparing administration Remicade with a second dose of intravenous gamma globulin to patients with Kawasaki disease with recurrent fever.
  

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Alan W. Nugent, M.D

Associate Professor of Pediatric
Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory

Medical Education: University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 
Cardiology Fellowship:  Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, Cardiology; Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Australia, Cardiology

Special Interests:   Cardiac Catheterization; Interventional Cardiology

Recent Publications:

• Breinholt JP, Nugent AW, Law MA, Justino H, Mullins CE, Ing FF. Stent fractures in congenital heart disease. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv, 72: 977-82, 2008
• Slesnick TC, Nugent AW, Fraser CD, Jr.,, Cannon BC. Images in cardiovascular medicine. Incomplete endithelilization and late development of acute bacterial endocrditis after implantation of an Amplatzer septal occluder device. Circulation  117: e326-7, 2008
• Weintraub RG, Nugent AW, Daubeney PEF. Pediatric cardiomyopathy: The Australian experience.  Progress in Pediatric Cardiology, 23: 12-24,  2007

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Claudio Ramaciotti, M.D

Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Echocardiography Laboratory

Medical Education:  Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Cardiology Fellowship:  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Special Interests:   Echocardiography, Fetal Echocardiography

Recent Publications:

• Heistein LC, Ramaciotti C, Scott WA, Coursey M, Sheeran PW, Lemler MS.  Chloral hydrate sedation for pediatric echocardiography: physiologic responses, adverse events, and risk factors. Pediatrics 2006;117:e1-8.
• Koch J, Henslely G, Roy L, Brown S, Ramaciotti C, Rosenfeld CR. A prospective analysis characterizing the ductus arteriosus in in-born neonates ≤ 1000gm birth weight. Pediatrics  2006;117:1113-21.
• Ramaciotti C, Heistein LC, Coursey M, Lemler MS, Eapen RS, Iannaccone S, Scott WA. Ventricular function and response to Enalapril in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy during the second decade of life. Accepted for publication by the American Journal of Cardiology, April 2006.

Current Projects: 

• Assessment of ventricular function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
• Ventricular function during ECMO
• Right ventricular pressure and function in patients with sickle cell anemia
• Echocardiographic assessment surgical repair of congenital heart defects in the operating room

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Thomas Zellers, M.D

Professor of Pediatrics
Vice President of Medical Staff Affairs, Children's Medical Center of Dallas

Medical Education:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Cardiology Fellowship:  Mayo Clinic
Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Fellowship:  Baylor College of Medicine
Special Interests:  Interventional cardiology, selective pulmonary vasodilator therapy, adults with congenital heart disease

Recent Publications:  

• Ramaciotti C, Lemler MS, Moake L, Zellers TM. Comprehensive assessment of PDA by echocardiography prior to transcatheter closure of a small patent ductus arteriosus. Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography, 15:1154-9, 2002.
• Du ZD, Hijazi ZM, Kleinman CS, Silverman NM, Larntz K, and Amplatzer investigators (Zellers TM listed with 14 other investigators). Comparison between transcatheter and surgical closure of secundum atrial septal defect in children and adults. J Amer Coll Card 2002; 39(11):1836-1844.
• Pass RH, Hijazi ZM, Hsu DT, Lewis V, Hellenbrand WE, Zellers TM as Amplatzer Investigators.  Multicenter USA Amplatzer Patent Ductus Arteriosus Occlusion Device Trial.  J Amer Coll Card, 44(3) 513-9, 2004

Current Projects:

• Prospective, randomized trial using the Neptune patch vs standard gauze for post catheterization hemostasis
• Phase II FDA trial for transcatheter PDA closure using the PFM Nit-Occlud device
• Multicenter prospective trial of surgery vs balloon angioplasty vs stenting for aortic coarctation (CCISC trial
• Intravascular stents in aorta and pulmonary arteries; effect on endothelial function and vascular healing over time.
• Bioreabsorbale stents in large arteries and veins (collaboration with Dr. Robert Eberhardt PhD)

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Ilana J. Zeltser, MD

Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:    New York University School of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Electrophysiology Fellowship:   Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Special Interests:    Electrophysiology

Recent Publications:              

• Kaltman J, Gillespie M, Seymour T, Khan A, Zeltser I, Rhodes LA, Tanel R, Vetter VL, and Shah M.  Substrate Characterization of Ventricular Tachycardia in a Porcine Model of Tetralogy of Fallot using noncontact mapping.  Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2007.  November 30 (11): 1316-22.
• Kaltman J, Ro P, Zimmerman F, Moak J, Epstein M, Zeltser I, et al.  Managed Ventricular Pacing in Pediatrics Patients and Patients with Congenital Heart Disease.  Am J Cardiol  2008; 102: 875-878.
• Zeltser I, Gupta A, Bensalah K, Kabbani W, Jenkins A, Park S et al. Focal radiofrequency coagulation-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: a novel nonischemic technique. J Endourol 2008; 22(6):1269-1273.
• Zeltser I, Jarvik GP, Bernbaum J, Wernovsky G, Nord AS, Gerdes M et al. Genetic factors are important determinants of neurodevelopmental outcome after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2008; 135(1):91-9.

Current Projects:

• Etiology of Arrhythmias following repair of Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF): Chronic Volume versus Pressure Overload
• Resynchronization Therapy
• Evaluation of novel electrocardiographic recording systems
• Use of Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD) as Primary Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in Children and Young Adults

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