Pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon earns prestigious award for profound impact in heart care

For patients with single-ventricle heart defects, every fight is a race against time. But thanks to the profound work of Mark D. Rodefeld, MD, pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Riley Children’s Health, a new hope for this vulnerable population is on the horizon.

A board-certified surgeon with over three decades of experience, Dr. Rodefeld knows firsthand what it means to lead impactful work for the field of pediatric heart surgery. That is why he was recently awarded the Earl Bakken Scientific Achievement Award, a distinguished honor representing those making significant contributions to cardiothoracic surgery.

"This award is a tremendous honor, and it is deeply humbling to be included among a group of exceptionally accomplished past awardees," Dr. Rodefeld said. "They are giants in the field, and many were my mentors who significantly impacted my clinical and scientific work. Recognition from colleagues and peers is profoundly rewarding and fuels my continued passion and enthusiasm."

The award recognizes Dr. Rodefeld’s innovative development of the Fontan pump, a medical device aimed to revolutionize care for patients with single-ventricle heart defects. This small, implantable device, which is supported by multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health, works by restoring a crucial power source to the circulatory system, meant to simulate the role of a missing right ventricle.

While single-heart defects require a multi-stage surgical procedure that involves reconfiguring the heart’s circulatory system, the need to prioritize it is always growing. By developing the Fontan pump, it uses a spinning disc mechanism to help move blood from the veins into the lungs for oxygenation, improving overall blood flow augmentation. In turn, this solution ensures greater circulatory function for patients with single-ventricle heart defects, without the need of a complex surgical operation.

“The operation right now is not curative—it doesn’t 100 percent resolve the problem,” Dr. Rodefeld said. “It gives the patient a situation they can live with relatively long-term, but eventually other problems will creep up and become a major problem.”

Under research since 2010, the novel blood pump has served as a significant stride forward for patients with complex heart conditions. For Dr. Rodefeld, this award is just one deserving tribute to his ongoing determination to propelling pediatric heart surgery.

Established in 1999 through a grant from Medtronic, Inc., the Earl Bakken Scientific Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have advanced the field of cardiothoracic surgery and patient quality of life. Named after Medtronic co-founder Earl Bakken, who developed the first wearable artificial pacemaker, the award was honored to Dr. Rodefeld in January at The Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ 61^st Annual Meeting.

About pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Riley Children’s

Dr. Rodefeld and the pediatric cardiothoracic surgery team at Riley Children’s lead advanced heart surgery to treat children with rare and complex cardiovascular diseases. Among many accomplishments, key distinctions include:

• One of the nation’s most experienced centers for the Ross procedure
• Seven decades of experience with right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction
• Pediatric and adult congenital transplant program accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association

Learn more about cardiothoracic surgery at Riley Children's.