2025's November spotlight is Dr. Howaida El-Said! They would like to ask the community several questions:
1. How can we expand global access to life-saving interventions like PDA stenting, so geography is never a barrier to survival?
2. What are we doing today to ensure the next generation of interventionists are more skilled, supported, and inspired than we were?
3. If you could change one thing in our field to improve long-term outcomes for congenital heart disease patients, what would it be?
Reply here.
Tell us about yourself.
I am the Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Rady Children's Hospital–San Diego, Professor of Pediatric Cardiology at UC San Diego, and board certified in both Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease. I trained in pediatrics, pediatric cardiology, imaging, and interventional cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, where I had the privilege of training under Dr. Charles Mullins, the founder of interventional pediatric cardiology.
Since joining Rady Children's in 2007, I have performed thousands of procedures across the age spectrum-from neonates to adults with congenital heart disease. Each year, I perform nearly half of the interventional and diagnostic catheterizations at our center (about 300 procedures annually). I have particular expertise in PDA stenting, transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation, radio-frequency pulmonary valve perforation for pulmonary atresia/IVS, and advanced imaging with 3D reconstructions to improve procedural safety and planning.
I helped establish Rady's single ventricle multidisciplinary clinic for Fontan patients, as well as our home monitoring program for infants with HLHS and PDA stents to improve survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes. I am proud to be part of a collaborative team that prioritizes innovation, multidisciplinary care, and long-term patient outcomes.
What are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about advancing interventional cardiology while improving the lives of children and adults with congenital heart disease. My greatest focus has been refining PDA stenting techniques and studying their long-term outcomes. To share this knowledge, I founded the International PDA Stent Symposium, creating a forum where colleagues worldwide can learn, collaborate, and raise the standard of care for vulnerable infants.
Outside of my professional life, I find joy in swimming, paddle boarding, gardening, cooking, and hiking. These activities help me stay balanced and grounded. Most importantly, I am a proud mother of three young adults who inspire me every day.
What would you like your colleagues to know about you?
I am deeply committed to mentorship and leadership in our field. Over the years, I have mentored medical students, residents, fellows, and international scholars, many of whom have gone on to become leaders themselves. Nothing is more rewarding than watching trainees thrive, innovate, and push our field forward.
I also believe in building programs that change outcomes. At Rady, I worked closely with colleagues to create innovative clinical programs such as the home monitoring initiative for HLHS infants, which has saved lives by reducing interstage mortality. I also co-direct UCSD's ACHD program, which ensures smooth transition of care from pediatrics into adulthood for patients with congenital heart disease.
What I would most want my colleagues to know is that my work is driven by passion and purpose: passion for PDA stenting and innovation, and purpose in ensuring every patient-no matter how fragile-has a chance at survival and a meaningful life.
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