offering the most advanced techniques for the treatment of babies and children with congenital disorders or the heart and chest.

"Our patients receive the highest quality medical care….but again and again, what I hear is how much they appreciate the caring, that they feel they’ve become part of a second family."

Dale Geiss, M.D. Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery

 

The Cardiothoracic surgical team has considerable expertise in the successful management of such demanding problems as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and Transposition of the Great Arteries as well as Complex Single Ventricles and Complex Left Heart Obstructions.

Ours is also one of the few pediatric centers in the country to offer a full choice of mechanical assist devices, to aid in recovery or as a bridge to transplantation.

Working with the pediatric cardiologists, anesthesiologists, perfusionists and intensive care professionals, we provide surgical treatment for :

Left to right shunt defects (causing increased pulmonary blood flow to the right side of the heart and lungs)

Atrial Septal Defect
Ventricular Septal Defect
Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Atrioventricular Pulmonary Venous Return
Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return

Obstructive Defects (narrowing occurs which causes obstruction of blood flow)

Coarctation of the Aorta
Pulmonic Stenosis
Aortic Stenosis (treatments include valvuloplasty, prosthesis or Ross procedure)
Mitral Stenosis (treatments include valvuloplasty, prosthesis or Mitral Homograft)

Cyanotic defects (a "blue" look caused by insufficient oxygen in arterial blood)

Transposition of the Great Arteries
Tetralogy of Fallot
Tetralogy of Fallot with Absent Pulmonary Valve
Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia
Total Anomalous Pumonary Venous Return
Ebstein Anomaly
Truncus Arteriosus
Single Ventricle
Double Outlet Right Ventricle
Hypoplastic Left Heart (treatments include Norword/Fontan or transplant)

Treatments for other Complex Congenital Heart Defects include

ECMO (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation)
Nitric Oxide
Ventricular Assist Devices
Ventricular Remodeling

If you are concerned about blood transfusion, please note:

Our cardiovascular surgery team was among the first in the nation to design and develop miniature circuits for use during cardio-pulmonary bypass.

Because this minimizes the use of donor blood exposure and speeds post-operative recovery, your child can spend less time in intensive care and in the Hospital.

Working with the American Red Cross and our local blood bank, we have also developed a program which eliminates or reduces the need for multiple donor blood exposure. Our patients receive fresh blood (less than 24 hours old) from a single donor.

To speak to a member of our Cardiovascular Surgery staff, please call 309 674-2002. The offices are located at 515 NE Glen Oak Avenue in Peoria, Illinois.

Our Cardiovascular Surgeons are:

Dale M Geiss, M.D.
Dr. Geiss received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in l971.

He completed his residency in Cardiothoracic Surgery at The Medical College of Wisconsin in l978 and finished his fellowship in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in l979 at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Gary W. Raff, M.D.
Dr. Raff received his medical degree from Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia in l990 .

He completed his residency in Thoracic Surgery at UMDNJ in l998 and recently finished his fellowship in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

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