The Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory performs cardiac catheterization, a common procedure used to help diagnose heart problems in children and adults. In some cases, it can repair heart problems that once required open-heart surgery.
Children have smaller hearts and blood vessels; thus, the specialists who treat them need special equipment and expertise. Children also require special sedation and monitoring because of their size, age and ability to cooperate.
The laboratory is equipped with leading-edge imaging equipment and computers for fluoroscopy, digital movies and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our team of specially trained cardiologists, nurses and child life specialists care for you and your child during the entire process.
Our staff works with your child's doctor via phone consultation and email for pre-procedure review and consultation, and provides online access to reports and images from the procedure and from post-procedure follow-up studies.
The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory is also involved in research, including participation in national multi-center clinical trials as well as the development of new interventional heart therapies.
Hear an interview with Dr. Jeffrey Meadows, who discusses a revolutionary way to fix heart valve problems without open heart surgery.
Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory
505 Parnassus Ave
San Francisco, CA 94143
Phone: (415) 353-4704
Fax: (415) 353-4144
Hours: Monday to Friday
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Public parking for an hourly fee at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital is available in the seven-level Millberry Union Garage at 500 Parnassus Ave. There are two garage entrances — one on the north side of Parnassus Avenue and another on Irving Street, just east of Third Avenue.
Another garage with an hourly fee, at 350 Parnassus Ave., is open Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Metered street parking is rarely available.
Patients being admitted to the hospital may be dropped off at the circular driveway leading to the main entrance at 505 Parnassus Ave. This area also may be used to pick up patients who are being discharged.
For more information about parking at Parnassus, call Campus Parking Services at 476-2566.
Valet parking service is available at the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) at 400 Parnassus Ave. from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The valet service is free but patients must pay regular parking fees. For more information about the valet service, call (415) 476-6200.
A UCSF "greeter" also is available at the ACC from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist patients find their way.
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital is accessible via Muni streetcar line N-Judah*, which stops at Second Avenue and Irving Street, and the following Muni bus lines, which stop in front of the hospital:
For more information about Muni visit, www.sfmuni.com.
* Wheelchair accessible bus routes
