The Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU) at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital provides extraordinary high-level care for newborns, infants and children with heart conditions, both congenital (present from birth) and acquired.
Our doctors and nurses are among the world's most experienced in treating congenital heart disease and have been pivotal in developing new treatments, such as radioablation therapy for heart rhythm disturbances, catheter-based treatments, pulmonary vascular therapies, surgical strategies that protect the neurological system and heart-lung support called rapid-deployment extracorporeal assist devices.
Your child will be cared for by a team of pediatric specialists including cardiologists, anesthesiologists, heart surgeons and intensivists, who have additional training in caring for very sick children. We are committed to excellent care and family participation as well as to research to improve the care we provide.
The unit includes eight beds for children and adolescents up to age 21 who suffer from heart conditions or are recovering from surgery or catheter-based treatment. Another nine beds are devoted to "monitored care" for those who don't require one-on-one nursing but aren't ready for regular hospital care or for release from the hospital. Newborns with heart problems may be transferred to the Intensive Care Nursery once their heart conditions are stabilized.
The PCICU along with the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Intensive Care Nursery make up the intensive care services at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, which together care for more than 1,000 children a year. About half are already UCSF patients. Others arrive by ambulance, helicopter and airplane from throughout the western United States. For information on transport options, refer to the Pediatric Transport Service.
Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
505 Parnassus Ave., Seventh Floor
San Francisco, CA 94143
Phone: (415) 353-1955
Fax: (415) 353-9144
Hours: Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Last updated July 21, 2010
Parents may visit at any time. However, you may be asked to leave the PCICU if there's an emergency or a need to perform a special procedure. Siblings may visit after being screened by our unit service coordinator. Please closely supervise your children at all times. Children under the age of 12 who are not siblings are not allowed in the PCICU.
Family members and friends may visit if accompanied by a patient's parent. When a parent can't visit for an extended period, arrangements can be made to allow relatives or friends to visit unaccompanied by a parent. However, you must leave written permission with the unit service coordinator. Please keep in mind that we may need to limit the number of visitors to maintain a calm and safe environment.
For visitors, we have a waiting room with a TV. There is also a kitchen equipped with a microwave oven, refrigerator, freezer and cabinets that you may use if you wish to bring food to the hospital. Please ask your nurse if you have questions.
Visitors are not allowed if they have colds, flu or fever or if they were recently exposed to a contagious disease.
