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Monday, May 12, 2008

Telemedicine Helps Evaluate Babies' Hearts Before They're Born

Last updated: 09/06/2006

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Cabell Huntington Hospital and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center are teaming up to bring state-of-the-art heart consultation to babies before they?re born.

Shailini Singh, MD, professor with the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and medical director for the Cabell Huntington Hospital?s Perinatal Center, has teamed up with Erik Michelfelder, MD, director of the Fetal Cardiac Program at Cincinnati Children?s Hospital Medical Center to bring fetal heart telemedicine consultation to patients in the Huntington area.

Using high-speed internet, Michelfelder can view the images live while the patient is having the ultrasound. He can direct the staff at the Perinatal Center in Huntington to change the angles or views provided by the ultrasound to get a better view of the baby's heart in the womb.

"This is the first service of its kind in the Tri-State area," Singh said. "In the past, when we suspected an abnormality in a fetal heart, we have referred the mother to Cincinnati Children's Fetal Care Center for further screening," Singh said. "But not all patients have had to deliver their babies in Cincinnati. This program allows them to have the consultation with Dr. Michelfelder without having to make the trip. It saves the family time, effort and the cost of driving two hours away."

According to Singh, some fetal heart problems can be addressed while the child is still in the womb, and others need attention immediately after delivery.

"Sometimes, just knowing about the potential heart problem prior to delivery gives families a chance to learn more about the problem so they can be prepared for the treatments that will follow delivery," she said.

The Cabell Huntington Hospital Perinatal Center is located at 1639 13th Ave. in Huntington. The physicians and staff of the Perinatal Center take care of high-risk pregnancy patients, including those with maternal diseases like diabetes, hypertension or premature labor. The center offers comprehensive pre-conception counseling, non-invasive and invasive prenatal diagnostic procedures, minimally invasive fetal surgery and a comprehensive prematurity prevention program.