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Heart Center

Because Every Child Deserves Best-in-Class Care

Since 1953, Driscoll Children’s Hospital has provided leading pediatric care and healing for millions of children across South Texas. Today, the Driscoll Children’s Heart Center continues the mission of delivering cardiac services that surpass any pediatric heart program with a team of highly skilled, interdisciplinary specialists equipped with the experience, technology and compassion to care for the most complex pediatric heart conditions.

Why Choose Us

The Heart Center at Driscoll Children's Hospital provides every patient with a treatment plan designed for their unique needs, including neonatal and maternal fetal care. With a newly established Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) and accessible satellite facilities—including at-home or virtual services—we promise that any child, anywhere can have access to the care they need.

Conditions We Treat

  • Aortic Valve Stenosis
  • Aortic Valve Regurgitation
  • Atrial Septal Defect
  • Atrioventricular Canal
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Chest Pain
  • Coarctation of Aorta
  • Double-Outlet Right Ventricle
  • Ebstein’s Anomaly
  • Heart Murmurs
  • Heart Arrhythmias
  • Hypertension
  • Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
  • Interrupted Aortic Arch
  • Kawasaki Disease
  • Patent Ductus Arteriosus
  • Pulmonary Atresia
  • Mitral Valve Prolapse
  • Truncus Arteriosus
  • Single-ventricle Heart Disease
  • Syncope (passing out)
  • Transposition of the Great Arteries
  • Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return
  • Transportation of the Great Arteries
  • Tetralogy of Fallot
  • Ventricular Septal Defect

Heart Center Specialties and Services

Meet the Heart Center Team

Jessica L. Aber, CPNP-AC
Jessica L. Aber, CPNP-AC
CPNP-AC
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Ngozi C. Agu, MD
Ngozi C. Agu, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Mohamed F. Algahim, MD
Mohamed F. Algahim, MD
MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Heart Center
Srinivasarao Badugu MD
Srinivasarao Badugu
MD, FAAP, FACC
Cardiology
Heart Center
Brenda R. Buckner, APRN, CPNP-AC
Brenda R. Buckner, APRN, CPNP-AC
APRN, CPNP-AC
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Constantinos Chrysostomou, MD
Constantinos Chrysostomou, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Claire L. Cigarroa, MD
Claire L. Cigarroa, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Ernesto Fernandez, MD
Ernesto Fernandez, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Celeste I. Garcia, CPNP-AC
Celeste I. Garcia, CPNP-AC
CPNP-AC
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Daniel J. Gebhard, MD
Daniel J. Gebhard, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Garbine Goya, MD
Garbine Goya, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Monica Guerra, APRN, CPNP-AC
Monica Guerra, APRN, CPNP-AC
APRN, CPNP-AC
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Patricia S. Hargis, APRN
Patricia S. Hargis, APRN
APRN
Cardiology
Heart Center
Sannya Hede, MD
Sannya Hede, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Mandi J. Hopkins, MD
Mandi J. Hopkins, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Javier E. Joglar, MD
Javier E. Joglar, MD
MD
Anesthesiology
Meghana Kovvuri, MD
Meghana Kovvuri, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Stephen M. Langley, MD
Stephen M. Langley, MD
MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Heart Center
Scott M. Leopold, MD
Scott M. Leopold, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
John K. Maher, MD
John K. Maher, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Alonso Marron, MD
Alonso Marron, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Lauren D. Martinez, FNP-BC
Lauren D. Martinez, FNP-BC
FNP-BC
Cardiology
Heart Center
Daniel E. McKenna, MD
Daniel E. McKenna, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Inder D. Mehta, MD
Inder D. Mehta, MD
MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Heart Center
Alberto Mendoza-Paredes, MD
Alberto Mendoza-Paredes, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Jerry T. Michael, MD
Jerry T. Michael, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Daniel A. Millan, MD
Daniel A. Millan, MD
MD
Anesthesiology
Tanya Morris, APRN
Tanya Morris, APRN
APRN
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Eudes T. Mvoula, PA-C
Eudes T. Mvoula, PA-C
PA-C
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Heart Center
Mohamed Nagiub, MD
Mohamed Nagiub, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Bao Phuong N. Nguyen, MD
Bao Phuong N. Nguyen, MD
MD
Anesthesiology
Angela Nowell, APRN
Angela Nowell, APRN
APRN
Cardiology
Heart Center
Yessica D. Ochoa, PA-C
Yessica D. Ochoa, PA-C
PA-C
Cardiology
Heart Center
Jose L. Olarte-Motta, MD
Jose L. Olarte-Motta, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Cristal M. Pena, NP-C
Cristal M. Pena, NP-C
NP-C
Anesthesiology
Patricia Pena-Jimenez, MD
Patricia Pena-Jimenez, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Mary E. Porisch, MD
Mary E. Porisch, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Deepa Prasad, MD
Deepa Prasad, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Eric T. Purifoy, MD
Eric T. Purifoy, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Shekhar S. Raj, MD
Shekhar S. Raj, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Prasad Ravi, MD
Prasad Ravi, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Thelma I. Reyes-McChesney, APRN, CPNP-AC
Thelma I. Reyes-McChesney, APRN, CPNP-AC
APRN, CPNP-AC
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Billy Rios, MD
Billy Rios, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Ramon J. Rivera, MD
Ramon J. Rivera, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Rini Sahewalla MD
Rini Sahewalla
MD
Fetal Cardiology
Cardiology
Heart Center
Mehrdad Salamat, MD
Mehrdad Salamat, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Ravi Samraj, MD
Ravi Samraj, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Kevin P. Schooler, MD
Kevin P. Schooler, MD
MD
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Jennifer Vala, APRN
Jennifer Vala, APRN
APRN
Cardiology
Heart Center
Tharakanatha R. Yarrabolu, MD
Tharakanatha R. Yarrabolu, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
See All Driscoll Children’s Doctors

Miracle Stories

Together, Against All Odds

Our experts put their passion to work every day, helping kids defy incredible odds on their health journeys here at Driscoll.
Read More Miracle Stories
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