Services & Specialties
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Get expert critical care for children with complex heart conditions from a nationally recognized team of cardiac intensive care specialists.

Heart Institute (CICU) photoshoot. This shoot was done to highlight what goes on in the unit and also highlight the Doctors, RN's and RT's in the unit, Patient Nayanna Chatman pictured playing.

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Expert Care for Children With Complex Heart Conditions

When your child needs intensive heart care, you want answers and a team you can trust. At Cincinnati Children’s, our Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) cares for children with some of the most complex heart conditions.

Our CICU is one of the highest-volume, highest-complexity pediatric cardiac critical care programs in the country. We care for children with complex and rare congenital and acquired heart conditions after heart surgery and complex procedures. We also treat heart failure, complex arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension and other serious conditions.

Our CICU includes 13 specially trained physicians who are board certified in pediatric cardiology and/or pediatric critical care medicine. Our team is supported by specialists in electrophysiology, heart failure, adult congenital heart diseases, cardiac imaging among others.

Why Choose Cincinnati Children’s Cardiac Intensive Care?

Team-based care brings dedicated cardiac ICU specialists, cardiothoracic surgeons, heart failure specialists, and other experts together around your child’s needs.
Advanced life support includes ECMO and ventricular assist devices for children who need mechanical circulatory support.
Dedicated care coordinators help families navigate care and connect with the right members of the team.
Expert care and strong outcomes from one of the highest-volume, highest-complexity pediatric cardiac critical care programs in the country.

Cardiac Intensive Care Expertise and Services

National Expertise for Complex Care

For 19 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked our Heart Institute one of the nation’s top pediatric cardiology and heart surgery programs, including seven years through our Joint Pediatric and Congenital Heart Program with Golisano Children’s at UK. Our CICU is one of the country’s highest-volume pediatric cardiac critical care programs. We also train future specialists through our Advanced Fellowship in Cardiac Critical Care. This helps build the next generation of specially trained cardiac intensivists.

Advanced Support for Critical Illness

Our CICU provides care after open-heart surgery, hybrid procedures and complex cardiac catheterization. We also provide advanced life support, including ECMO. For children with severe organ problems, our team also provides care after heart transplant, heart-liver transplant, heart-lung transplant, and lung transplant. We also use specialized mechanical circulatory support including ventricular assist devices and unique approaches including innovative surgical techniques with the use of a diverse set of support devices.

A Team Built Around Your Child

Your child’s care may involve many specialists. Our CICU team works closely with cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, pharmacists, nutritionists and therapists. This team-based care helps everyone work from one clear plan. It also helps your family connect with the right experts during critical moments. Our care coordinators provide an ongoing point of contact for families. They help families navigate care and connect with the team throughout the patient journey.

Research That Improves Care

Our CICU has a dedicated research team. They support quality improvement work designed to make care safer and more effective. With cardiac arrests below the national average and a dedicated team focused on reducing infections, families can rest assured that their child is receiving the safest care possible.

At Cincinnati Children’s, our Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) provides expert, compassionate care for children with the most complex congenital and acquired heart conditions. Families from across the country and around the world turn to our multidisciplinary team for the highest level of care. We also advance pediatric cardiac critical care through research, education and quality improvement.

Meghan M. Chlebowski, MD, MHPE

Associate Medical Director, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Patient and Family Resources

Services & SpecialtiesCardiac Intensive Care Unit