Sant Joan de Déu Hospital

Sant Joan de Deu’s Pediatric Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery Department is the best choice for your child. The department has treatment outcomes that are higher than the European average and are equal to some of the internationally renowned Pediatric Hospitals like Boston Children’s Hospital. SJD has offered treatment to 8,000 children suffering from heart diseases and has successfully performed 250 surgeries. Therefore, the survival rate is more than 98%.

The department works on an interdisciplinary approach bringing in experts from the Cardiology Unit, ICU, Anesthesia Unit, Psychology Unit, etc. The team carefully plans your child’s surgery, selecting the best-suited treatment method. Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgeons ensure that the treatment technique is minimally invasive as it offers a quick recovery post-procedure.

For children suffering from congenital heart defects, the hospital staff offers them optimal care as a result of which the recovery duration is between 7-8 days (half time of other Children’s Hospital in Spain).

In addition to this, the SJD Cardiovascular Surgery Unit is a Reference Unit for Treatment of Congenital Heart Defects, Arrhythmias, etc., and is Spanish Ministry of Health certified.

Sant Joan de Deu’s Cardiovascular Surgery Unit is well-known for offering the following areas:

Cardiac catheterization

Cardiologists use cardiac catheterization for treating congenital heart diseases like an atrial septal defect, aortic coarctation, ventricular septal defect, etc. The procedure is done in hemodynamic rooms, this helps to perform cardiac catheterization for infants with low birth weight and fetuses.

Most of the patients visiting SJD are less than a year old which makes the Unit one of the most active Spanish hemodynamic rooms. Annually 560 patients are treated through cardiac catheterization with a success rate of 96%.

Cardiac Ablation

Cardiologists at Sant Joan de Deu treat genetic cardiology, arrhythmias, etc. The cardiologists focus on detecting the arrhythmias as early as possible since it impacts the prognosis. Detection of arrhythmias involves performing tests like Holter monitoring, ECG, non-invasive monitoring, Tilt test, etc.

In addition to this, the doctors also use a remote monitoring device which on detection of an anomaly sends a message to the doctor. The heart devices used at SJD include pacemakers, subcutaneous Holters, and liberators.

Once the diagnosis is confirmed the Cardiology Team uses catheterization. During the treatment, a catheter is inserted to detect the electric signals of the heart and to identify the problem area. When the origin is identified cardiac ablation is used to destroy the tissues which are the source of abnormal heart rate.

SJD Ablation unit annually offers 2100 consultations and performs 170 ablation procedures per year with a success rate of 99%.

Sant Joan de Deu Neurology Unit has highly skilled doctors with experience in treating all kinds of neurological diseases. Active research at the department helps to keep up with the latest advancements. Currently, the department is following 14 different clinical trials and 28 studies. There is a special center that provides treatment for diseases like neuro-immunological, sleep disorders, headaches, refractory epilepsies, developmental issues, etc.

The Ministry of Health has identified the Neurology Department as a reference service for the treatment of hereditary ataxias, metabolic illness, refractory epilepsy, neuro-ectodermic syndrome, and movement disorders. Additionally, the University of Barcelona and the Spanish Society for Pediatric Neurology have partnered with Sant Joan de Déu to train their neurologists.

Sant Joan de Deu Neurosurgery Unit treats patients suffering from diseases of the spine and the brain. The department follows an interdisciplinary approach for handling cases of epilepsy, brain & spinal cord tumors, movement disorders, etc.

SJD Neurosurgery Department is ERN CRANIO certified for treating cranial anomalies and collaborates with other Neurosurgery Centers and Neurosurgeons in Europe. Interdisciplinary collaboration and collaboration with other European Hospitals help the Neurosurgery Team to plan a comprehensive treatment for patients.

A wide range of treatment options is available at SJD Neurosurgery Unit which includes:

• Neuroendoscopy
• Surgery for Epilepsy
• Minimally Invasive Craniofacial Surgery
• Robotic Surgery for Brain/ Spine Tumors
• Surgery for Movement Disorders, etc.

SJD Hospital is a pioneer for using treatment procedures like

• Laser ablation: This treatment is effective for removing tumors and treating epilepsy
• Deep Brain Stimulation for treating movement disorders and dystonia

Neurosurgeons at SJD use intraoperative imaging techniques like ECO, CT, and MRI. This gives them real-time information about the surgery and helps them to complete the surgery without any serious complications.

For performing microsurgeries, neurosurgeons use neuronavigation. This helps the surgeons to easily navigate during the surgery reducing the chances of errors. In addition to this, the department also offers microsurgery through robotic systems.

Patients suffering from movement disorders, epilepsy, etc are treated through Robotic Stereotaxic Surgery. This procedure is safe as it has minimal chances of risk.

These features make the Sant Joan de Deu Neurosurgery Unit one of the most well-equipped centers in Europe and a Global Leader in treating childhood neurological diseases.

Sant Joan de Deu Oncology & Oncohematology Department is the main center for treating various types of cancers. The department offers treatment for Retinoblastoma, Neuroblastoma, Brain tumors, Lymphomas, and Leukemias. Innovative treatment procedures are applied to treat a variety of cancers, examples of which are:

Neuroblastoma

• Anti-GD2 immunotherapy treatment: The Sant Joan de Déu oncology department is one of the few hospitals in Europe to offer this treatment. The procedure is for the treatment of neuroblastoma. The survival rate of patients who are at a high risk of neuroblastoma is increased by 20% moreover 68% of these patients become free of disease after 3 years.
• Intra-arterial chemotherapy: The oncology department has introduced this procedure which offers treatment for neuroblastoma. It applies targeted radiations to the affected area. The success rate of this procedure is about 99%.

Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is one of the most widely treated childhood cancers at San Joan de Deu Oncology Unit. The Oncology Unit has treated around 104 patients with retinoblastoma in the last ten years with a success rate of more than 95%. In 80% of advanced cases, the Oncologists were able to preserve the patient’s eyes.

For the diagnosis of retinoblastoma, there is a separate Intraocular Tumor Unit. The Intraocular Tumor Unit employs the following techniques for the diagnosis of retinoblastoma:

• Angiography with a wide-field camera
• Ocular and anterior pole ultrasound
• OCT
• Microscopic examination
• In addition to these techniques, SJD also uses sequencing techniques for the precise detection of the underlying molecular anomalies of the tumor.

Each patient at SDJ receives a personalized treatment plan designed by an interdisciplinary team. The treatment is based on the following procedures:

• Cryotherapy
• Intra-vitreal chemo
• Systemic chemo
  Thermotherapy
• Intra-arterial chemo
• Brachytherapy

Leukemia

Patients suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia are offered an innovative treatment approach. This treatment is the CAR-T 19 immunotherapy.

SJD Oncohematology Unit is one of the few Children’s Hospitals in Europe to offer the treatment. The treatment is suitable for patients who have no commendable progress when treated with conventional treatments.

CAR-T therapy uses the patient’s T cell to kill the leukemia cells. This treatment is considered a breakthrough in medicine and works on the concept of customized treatment for ALL. SJD is one of Spain’s certified hospitals to perform the procedure.

Over 40 patients have been treated through the therapy between the years 2016-2020. The European Medicine Agency has recently approved the procedure which means that it can be performed on prescription not just in clinical trials. SJD also has the approval of the FDA to perform the procedure.

Bone Marrow Failure

Sant Joan de Deu treats patients suffering from bone marrow failure disorders like

• Shwachman–Diamond syndrome
• Aplastic anemia
• Dyskeratosis congenita
• Congenital erythroblastopenia
• Fanconi anemia
• Congenital neutropenia

The only effective treatment for such patients is Bone Marrow Transplantation which is offered at SJD’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.

San Joan de Due’s Orthopedic Unit is a reference center in Spain for treating tumors of the bone, hip fractures, etc. The department has 3 CSUR certifications and is a part of the European Skeletal Dysplasia Network.

Being one of the largest teams of Orthopedic Specialists in Spain & Europe helps the team to specialize in specific areas with better knowledge. SJD’s Orthopedic Unit has a multidisciplinary team in which experts from the Musculoskeletal Unit, Scoliosis, Brachial Plexus, and Skeletal Dysplasia collaborate. The department has extensive experience when it comes to prostheses, it was one of the first European clinics that implanted a bionic hand in a child.

SJD’sPediatric Orthopedic Department uses some of the latest diagnostic techniques in operating rooms including CT, hybrid arch, and MRI. Orthopedic Surgeons use navigation techniques that increase the efficiency of the procedure. Before starting the surgery, 3D Technology is used for stimulating the patient’s anatomy and planning surgeries with precision.

Specialties of the department include:

• Upper limb treatment: Treatment for arthrogryposis in the wrist, forearm, hand, and shoulder, lesions in the brachial plexus, and certain congenital conditions.
• Lower limb treatment: Cutting edge technologies are applied for treating lower limb dysmetrias and axial deformities. Experienced physicians will also help you to manage issues related to the hip, foot, and knee.
• Dysplasias, tumors, and infections: Experienced doctors with a specialization in dysplasia, infections, bone diseases, osteogenesis surgery, and tumors are the highlight of the department.
• Spine: Malformations and injuries of the vertebra, spondylolysis, tumors, and scoliosis are treated with extensive care.

Sant Joan de Deu’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit caters to the needs of umbilical cord blood and bone marrow transplant. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is pivotal for children that have genetic, oncological, and hematological diseases. The department performs Autologous, as well as allogeneic transplants.

An experienced specialist analyzes for the most suitable source for extraction of hematopoietic stem cells. Next, they look up donors in national and international transplantation banks and perform a compatibility test. After this, the latest technology is used for the whole transplantation process and lastly, follow up meetings till the patient has fully recovered.

Sant Joan de Deu’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit has high success rates for Autologous Bone Marrow Transplants that range from 90-to 100% and are comparable to international records. Whereas in the case of a Bone Marrow Transplant from an unrelated donor the success rate is 70%-80%.

Sant Joan de Déu Gastroenterology Department treats diseases that involve metabolic disorders, motility problems, inflammatory bowel diseases, and hepatic diseases. Specialties of gastroenterology are:

• Video endoscopy
• 24-hour esophageal impedance-pH monitoring
• Esophageal and anorectal manometry
• C13-urea breath test
• Percutaneous liver biopsy
• Indirect calorimetry
• Artificial nutrition (enteral and parenteral)
• Biofeedback
• Video fluoroscopy
• Glucose hydrogen breath test
• Nutritional assessments

The Sant Joan de Déu Laboratory offers rapid diagnostic procedures. Areas of biochemistry, hematology, genetics, microbiology, and transfusion medicine are covered at the laboratory. Quality control and quality assurance departments ensure that all laboratory procedures are being carried out as per the defined guidelines. Also, there are three sets of phases that have been set up to ensure proper analysis.

• Pre-analytic phase: This phase involves sample collection, storage, and preparation according to the defined protocols before analyzing it.
• Analytical phase: The lab has certain automated and manual procedures, all of which are carried out by experienced lab personnel.
• Post-analytical phase: An experienced specialist evaluates and interprets all the reports to make a proper diagnosis.