Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children serves children and young adults with heart problems and congenital heart defects.

Our dedicated pediatric cardiologists provide exceptional, world-class cardiac care. Kapiʻolani's Congenital Heart Center provides a medical home for our young people with heart problems.

Opened in 2023, our comprehensive Pediatric Heart Center offers expanded care for Hawaiʻi’s children and families right here at home. This means Kapiʻolani can provide even more lifesaving surgeries and procedures for our youngest patients year-round, without the need to travel thousands of miles to a hospital on the U.S. mainland.

The Kapiʻolani Pediatric Heart Center includes the first pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratory in the state.

The center also was the first in Hawaiʻi to offer the minimally invasive Harmony™ valve procedure for patients with congenital heart defects. This allows Kapiʻolani’s team of physicians, surgeons, nurses, and other experts broader diagnostic capabilities and the ability to fix some cardiac conditions without open-heart surgery.

Our team also offers specialized surgery for adults who were born with congenital heart disease. These procedures are designed with long-term quality of life in mind and may help reduce future risks such as stroke, pregnancy complications, or the need for lifelong blood-thinning medication.

ECMO is an advanced type of life support that can help if a patient’s heart and/or lungs are too sick to function. It’s a powerful tool that can allow the heart and/or lungs to heal while doctors treat their illness or injury. For a few qualified patients, it can also be a bridge to transplant or a long-term mechanical support device.

The Neonatal and Pediatric ECMO Program at Kapiʻolani gives 24/7, state-of-the-art care for newborns and children who need advanced lung and heart support.

Kapiʻolani holds the distinguished Level 1 Children’s Surgery Verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

Level 1 verification is the highest of three designations given by the ACS Children’s Surgery Verification Program to recognize hospitals providing multi-disciplinary, high-quality, patient-centered pediatric surgical care.

Medical centers in this category have the resources and capability to care for infants through young adults, including those requiring complex surgical care such as congenital heart surgery.

Kardiac Kids is a support group for families, young adults, and caregivers affected by congenital and acquired heart defects.

Families of children diagnosed with various cardiac conditions meet regularly to offer support to one another.

Pali Momi Heart Center is home to the only interventional cardiac catheterization unit in Central and West Oʻahu, providing lifesaving treatment in emergencies closer to home.

Our commitment to the latest treatment options and innovative technology make us a leader in cardiac care. Our highly trained cardiologists offer a depth of expertise across a range of cardiac conditions, from coronary and structural heart disease to arrhythmias and heart failure.

All heart surgical procedures are performed using minimally invasive techniques, offering less discomfort and a faster recovery.

In the event of a heart attack, Pali Momi Medical Center’s Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Unit brings lifesaving care 100 minutes closer to West and Central Oʻahu residents. We can immediately perform angioplasty, stent placement, and other critical procedures right at Pali Momi. These lifesaving treatments are provided without the delay of transport to a Honolulu-based hospital.

From the beginning, the Clarence T.C. Ching Heart Center at Straub Benioff has been on the forefront of cardiac care in Hawaiʻi – from noninvasive and minimally invasive evaluations to treatments for everything from irregular heartbeats to blockages and other conditions.

Our team of experienced heart specialists is consistently innovating to bring the newest treatments to Hawaiʻi.

We've also led Hawaiʻi in the introduction of minimally invasive surgical procedures, which can dramatically lower trauma and discomfort to the patient and shorten recovery time.

The state-of-the-art hybrid suite at Straub Benioff combines the capabilities of a cardiac catheterization lab with the disinfected environment of an operating room to allow for the quick, seamless transition from an endovascular procedure to open surgery.

As its name suggestions, a hybrid suite can be utilized for multiple purposes, from surgical procedures to vascular and cardiac catheterization procedures as well. 

Some of the procedures possible because of the hybrid suite include:

• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and structural heart procedures
• Repairing aneurysms in the abdominal aorta, thoracic aorta, and iliac artery, as well as stent grafts and hybrid coronary revascularization, which is a minimally invasive treatment for coronary artery disease
• Watchman™ implants, devices that prevent blood clots that can lead to strokes
• Inserting cardioverter defibrillators to regulate heart rhythms

Because the hybrid suite is all-inclusive, complications can be handled immediately, without causing further problems or putting the patient at risk.

The flexibility of the facility also allows physicians to finish different procedures without the need to move between floors or discharge patients.

All of these benefits mean patients experience quicker recovery times, reduced treatment times, and less time in the medical center.

TAVR is a less invasive procedure that can treat aortic stenosis, a serious problem with the heart valve that controls blood flow out of the heart.

In the past, replacing a heart valve usually required open-heart surgery, which was not always the best option for older adults or people with other health concerns. With TAVR, doctors guide a manmade valve through a small incision and place it inside the damaged valve, helping blood flow more easily through the heart.

For some patients, this option can be safer and may help them recover sooner, so they can get back to everyday life with more comfort and confidence.

A ST-segment elevation myocardial infraction (STEMI) heart attack happens when a major artery that supplies blood to the heart becomes blocked. It is a medical emergency, and opening the artery quickly can make a lifesaving difference.

The STEMI program at Straub Benioff Medical Center helps care teams respond quickly when a patient has one of the most serious types of heart attack. The goal is to find ways to improve care and get patients the treatment they need as fast as possible.

One important measure is called door-to-balloon time. It tracks how many minutes pass between a patient’s arrival at the hospital and the moment the blocked artery is opened. The faster that happens, the better the chance for a stronger recovery.

Since its implementation in 2021, Straub Benioff’s door-to-balloon time has significantly decreased from 64 minutes to as low as 48 minutes – far below the nationwide goal of 90 minutes.

ECMO is an advanced type of life support that can help if a patient’s heart and/or lungs are too sick to function. It’s a powerful tool that can allow the heart and/or lungs to heal while doctors treat their illness or injury. For a few qualified patients, it can also be a bridge to transplant or a long-term mechanical support device.

The Adult ECMO Program at Straub Benioff provides support to patients with a range of heart and lung conditions. Our dedicated team of experts uses cutting-edge technology to make a positive impact on patient outcomes.

If a patient at another medical facility is a potential ECMO candidate, we may offer transport to Straub Benioff Medical Center. In certain cases, a patient may be too unstable to transfer without ECMO support. If so, the Straub Benioff Mobile ECMO Team can mobilize and initiate ECMO at other facilities. This is followed by stabilization and transfer to Straub Benioff on ECMO support.

Cardiac rehabilitation is designed to improve heart recovery, improve your ability to function, and prepare you for future daily activities.

Our medically supervised, exercise-based program is designed to improve the heart health of individuals who have had a heart attack, heart surgery, or other form of heart disease.

The Wilcox Heart Center offers a wide range of adult, noninvasive cardiovascular services, such as echocardiography, exercise stress testing, and cardiac monitoring.

Accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission, our state-of-the-art echocardiography services offer several options to best fit your needs:

• Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography
• Treadmill and pharmacologic stress echocardiography testing
• 3D echocardiography and myocardial strain quantification

• Holter testing ranging from 24 hours, 48 hours, and up to 14 days
• Event monitoring for 30 days
• Mobile telemetry for 30 days

This medically supervised program is for people who have had heart conditions, such as a heart attack, heart surgery, or heart disease.

It is only available to eligible patients who have received a physician referral.