Neonatal Cardiovascular Intensive Care and Hemodynamics Program

At CHOC, we offer one of the nation’s only dedicated Neonatal Cardiovascular Intensive Care and Hemodynamics programs—led by a team of neonatologists with advanced training in cardiology, neonatal hemodynamics, and cardiac critical care. Our specialists are passionate about guiding fragile newborns with congenital heart disease or complex circulatory challenges from birth to home.  

Infants with structural heart differences or hemodynamic instability require more than standard NICU care—they need a team that understands the nuances of cardiovascular physiology in the newborn period. At CHOC, that’s exactly what they get. 

We’re one of the few centers in the U.S. where neonatal hemodynamics is front and center. Using targeted neonatal echocardiography (TNE), our team delivers real-time precision-guided care tailored to each infant’s evolving physiology. CHOC uses neonatal hemodynamics to ask not just what’s wrong, but why—and tailor every decision to what each baby needs most. 

Our Dedicated Infant Cardiac Critical Care Program (IC3) 

At CHOC, we’ve built something exceptional—the IC3 team (Infant Cardiac Critical Care), a collaborative unit where neonatologists, cardiologists, and pediatric cardiac intensivists work as one. Together, they provide seamless, specialized care for newborns with heart defects, from the moment of birth through surgery and recovery to discharge. 

Unlike traditional models where babies transition between multiple units and teams, the IC3 approach keeps care continuous and cohesive. A single, expert team manages each baby’s journey in one location, minimizing handoffs, reducing errors, and preserving the integrity of each child’s care plan. 

This innovative model, used at only a handful of leading institutions across the country, has been shown to improve outcomes and increase family satisfaction (Goldstrom et al., 2022). At CHOC, we’re proud to lead the way in delivering this level of integrated, high-level care for our most vulnerable patients. 

When your baby is born with a heart difference at CHOC, you can count on a tight-knit team that knows your child from day one—and stays by their side every step of the way. 

Infant Cardiac Critical Care (IC3) Mission and Vision  

Vision: To nurture, advance, and protect the health of infants, by providing quality patient care to our high-risk cardiac and hemodynamically unstable infant patient population.  

Mission: Create an inter-disciplinary team that provides state-of-the-art, domain-specific expertise for the care of infants with congenital heart disease.    

Neonatal ECMO 

While our neonatal cardiac and hemodynamics team is often able to avoid invasive interventions through precise, physiology-guided care, there are times when critically ill infants need more. That’s where ECMO—extracorporeal membrane oxygenation—comes in. 

ECMO temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs, giving the sickest newborns a chance to recover. CHOC was among the pioneers of neonatal ECMO and remains one of the few centers worldwide recognized with the ELSO Platinum Award for Excellence in Life Support. 

When ECMO is required, infants receive care in CHOC’s state-of-the-art Neonatal-Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (NeoCVICU)—a space designed for complex cardiac and bypass-supported care. There, neonatologists, cardiac intensivists, pediatric critical care specialists, and surgeons work together in a seamless, multi-disciplinary team to ensure the highest level of support when it matters most.