Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Department

The Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Department at Schneider Children's Medical Center stands as Israel's premier center for pediatric cardiac care, performing two-thirds of all pediatric cardiac procedures in the country. As the largest and most comprehensive pediatric cardiac center in the Middle East, we serve as a beacon of hope for thousands of children and their families across Israel and beyond.

Unlike adult cardiac care which primarily addresses age-related heart conditions, Schneider's cardiac unit specializes in correcting congenital heart defects - essentially nature's 'architectural challenges' in the heart's formation. Over the years, as our patient numbers have grown, we've built an unparalleled reputation both nationally and internationally. Our approach goes beyond medical treatment; we've created a comprehensive support system that embraces both the child and their family throughout their journey.

Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Department is led for the last 20 years by two senior cardiac surgeons, Dr. Amir and Dr. Frenkel, who have dedicated their careers to pediatric heart surgery - a highly specialized field that differs significantly from adult cardiac care. As Israel's leading pediatric heart surgeons, they perform the most complex procedures available in modern cardiac surgery. 

Our department performs close to 500 surgical cardiac procedures yearly. We operate on 150 neonates each year (babies under 1 month of age) and 60% of our patients are under 1 year of age. Our service performs the most complex procedures in pediatric cardiac surgery such as repairing heart lesions in very small premature babies and young infants, performing complex heart lesions inside the heart and outside such as unifocalization procedures, Tracheal reconstructions, implanting artificial heart, heart transplantations and more. Our surgical outcomes are comparable to those of the leading centers in the United States and Europe.

Pediatric cardiac surgery demands seamless coordination among highly trained specialists. Our surgical team works in concert with dedicated pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists, specialized operating room nurses, and expert technicians who manage critical life-support systems including heart-lung machines and ECMO devices. Over decades of collaboration, this exceptional team has developed expertise that ranks among the finest in the field.

Part of our vision is to share the knowledge we have acquired over the years and to train next generation of Israeli cardiac surgeons both in Israel in leading centers abroad. Moreover, we have trained cardiac surgeons from many countries including Argentina, Georgia, China and Kazakhstan in one-year programs. We maintain ongoing collegial collaborations with leading centers and prominent surgeons in Boston, Stanford, San Francisco, New York and Germany.