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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
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Ngozi C. Agu, MD
Ngozi C. Agu, MD
MD
Fetal Cardiology
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
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
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
Advanced Cardiac Imaging (CT & MRI)
Cardiology
Heart Center
Ernesto Fernandez, MD
Ernesto Fernandez, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Celeste I. Garcia, CPNP-AC
Celeste I. Garcia, CPNP-AC
CPNP-AC
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Daniel J. Gebhard, MD
Daniel J. Gebhard, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Garbine Goya, MD
Garbine Goya, MD
MD
Cardiology
Electrophysiology
Heart Center
Monica Guerra, APRN, CPNP-AC
Monica Guerra, APRN, CPNP-AC
APRN, CPNP-AC
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
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
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Javier E. Joglar, MD
Javier E. Joglar, MD
MD
Anesthesiology
Heart Center
Meghana Kovvuri, MD
Meghana Kovvuri, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Stephen M. Langley, MD
Stephen M. Langley, MD
MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Heart Center
Scott M. Leopold, MD
Scott M. Leopold, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
John K. Maher, MD
John K. Maher, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Alonso Marron, MD
Alonso Marron, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
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
Fetal Cardiology
Cardiology
Heart Center
Jerry T. Michael, MD
Jerry T. Michael, MD
MD
Fetal Cardiology
Cardiology
Heart Center
Daniel A. Millan, MD
Daniel A. Millan, MD
MD
Anesthesiology
Tanya Morris, APRN
Tanya Morris, APRN
APRN
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Eudes T. Mvoula, PA-C
Eudes T. Mvoula, PA-C
PA-C
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Heart Center
Mohamed Nagiub, MD
Mohamed Nagiub, MD
MD
Advanced Cardiac Imaging (CT & MRI)
Cardiology
Heart Center
Bao Phuong N. Nguyen, MD
Bao Phuong N. Nguyen, MD
MD
Anesthesiology
Heart Center
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
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Cristal M. Pena, NP-C
Cristal M. Pena, NP-C
NP-C
Anesthesiology
Patricia Pena-Jimenez, MD
Patricia Pena-Jimenez, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Mary E. Porisch, MD
Mary E. Porisch, MD
MD
Interventional Cardiology
Cardiology
Heart Center
Deepa Prasad, MD
Deepa Prasad, MD
MD
Advanced Cardiac Imaging (CT & MRI)
Cardiology
Heart Center
Eric T. Purifoy, MD
Eric T. Purifoy, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Shekhar S. Raj, MD
Shekhar S. Raj, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Prasad Ravi, MD
Prasad Ravi, MD
MD
Fetal Cardiology
Cardiology
Heart Center
Thelma I. Reyes-McChesney, APRN, CPNP-AC
Thelma I. Reyes-McChesney, APRN, CPNP-AC
APRN, CPNP-AC
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Billy Rios, MD
Billy Rios, MD
MD
Cardiology
Heart Center
Ramon J. Rivera, MD
Ramon J. Rivera, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
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
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Kevin P. Schooler, MD
Kevin P. Schooler, MD
MD
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Heart Center
Jennifer Vala, APRN
Jennifer Vala, APRN
APRN
Cardiology
Heart Center
Tharakanatha R. Yarrabolu, MD
Tharakanatha R. Yarrabolu, MD
MD
Interventional Cardiology
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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