Patient Outcomes at the Neonatal Cardiovascular Center of Excellence

At the Neonatal Cardiovascular Center of Excellence, we carefully track outcomes for all of the surgical procedures we perform each year. At 90%, our survival rate for neonatal heart surgery is one of the best in the nation.

Our excellent outcomes extend to some of the most complex cases, including high-risk surgeries on premature infants.

You can also find outcomes data for all surgeries performed at our Pediatric Heart Center, including details about specific procedures.

Heart surgeries on preterm newborns are some of the most complex, high-risk procedures in medicine. At UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, we undertake three times the national average of facilities that perform these surgeries, making us one of the most experienced centers for this care in the country. We are known for our excellent outcomes and a survival rate of 90%.

About our data

As most pediatric hospitals do, we use independent data from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' congenital heart surgery database and the National Quality Forum. These organizations use standard indicators to monitor health care quality in heart surgery centers across the country.

Survival rates are determined by the number of patients who survived 30 days after a procedure or until they were discharged from the hospital (whichever period is longer). Choosing a hospital with high survival rates, as well as experience with complicated procedures, helps ensure your child gets the best care available.