NEW ORLEANS — Mayo Clinic's Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and Ochsner Hospital for Children are collaborating within a consortium to provide solutions for patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare and complex form of congenital heart disease in which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped.

The consortium aligns regional centers and an advocacy group into a collaboration led by the Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Program at Mayo Clinic to accelerate innovation and discovery sciences, as well as bring clinical trials and expertise to patients across the country.

Ochsner's Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiac Surgery Program is led by Benjamin Peeler, M.D., who joined Ochsner's team in 2016. Dr. Peeler is a board-certified congenital cardiac surgeon who previously served as the chief of pediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgery at Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Peeler has brought decades of invaluable experience and leadership to the team at Ochsner.

"Dr. Peeler has been building a team of dedicated professionals, and their work has resulted in a 100% survival rate of the complex Norwood surgery every year since 2017," says Tim Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the HLHS Program at Mayo Clinic. "They are passionate about ensuring that all families in Louisiana have access to the best level of surgical care which is why we're so proud to welcome them to the HLHS Consortium."

"Our team has worked tirelessly to ensure that families in the Gulf South have access to exceptional and nationally recognized healthcare close to home," says Dr. Peeler. "We're honored to collaborate with the HLHS Program at Mayo Clinic to bring even more resources and research to our patients. As the only member of the consortium in the South, our program's continued growth will benefit thousands of patients in our region and beyond."

There are now eight members in the Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Consortium. Seven are hospitals and one is an advocacy group for patients and families. Ochsner Hospital for Children joins Mayo Clinic, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Children's Minnesota, Children's Hospital Colorado and The Children's Hospital at OU Medicine in expanding the development of cell-based innovative research opportunities for people living with HLHS.

Sisters by Heart is a founding member of the Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Consortium. This advocacy group was started by mothers who came together to support families on their journeys with children who have HLHS. A focus of their mission is to send care packages to parents of a child newly diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, connecting them to a network of resources from birth through recovery.

"Advocacy groups like Sisters by Heart are vital to strengthening our consortium," says Dr. Nelson. "They ensure that our patients and families have a seat at the table, and can bring awareness and provide support on a person-to-person level that institutions cannot."

All consortium sites will participate in a phase II clinical trial using stem cells from a baby's own umbilical cord blood in regenerative therapy. During the second of three surgeries to repair the heart, stem cells are injected into the heart muscle to help it grow stronger, and delay or prevent the need for transplant. The trial is open at all consortium sites, and Ochsner Hospital for Children already has collected cord blood with stem cells waiting to be used for a patient when the trial opens this fall.

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About the Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Founded in 2010, the Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome is a collaborative network of specialists bonded by the vision of delaying or preventing heart failure for individuals affected by congenital heart defects, including hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The specialized team is addressing the various aspects of these defects by using research and clinical strategies ranging from basic science to diagnostic imaging to regenerative therapies.

About Ochsner Health System
Ochsner Health System is Louisiana's largest nonprofit, academic, health care system. Driven by a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate, coordinated clinical and hospital patient care is provided across the region at Ochsner's 40 owned, managed and affiliated hospitals and specialty hospitals, and more than 100 health centers and urgent care centers. Ochsner is the only Louisiana hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a "Best Hospital" across three specialty categories, caring for patients from all 50 states and more than 70 countries worldwide each year. Ochsner employs nearly 25,000 employees and over 4,500 employed and affiliated physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties, and conducts more than 700 clinical research studies. Ochsner Health System is proud to be a tobacco-free environment.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, comprehensive care to everyone who needs healing. Learn more about Mayo Clinic. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network.

Media contacts:

• Terri Malloy, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu
• Katharine Fauquier, Ochsner Public Relations, 504-703-0204, katharine.fauquier@ochsner.org

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