Overview

Treatment strategies for cardiac surgery patients have been evolving significantly for the last decade. While clinical outcomes have been improving, there are still significant areas unexplored in these patients. Cardiac surgery, or cardiovascular surgery, is surgery on the heart or great vessels performed by cardiac surgeons. It is often used to treat complications of ischemic heart disease (for example, with coronary artery bypass grafting); to correct congenital heart disease; or to treat valvular heart disease from various causes, including endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, and atherosclerosis.

Biobanking is a fundamental process required in the better understanding of human diseases together with their underlying mechanisms. Biobanking refers to the process by which samples of bodily fluid or tissue are collected for research use to improve the understanding of health and disease. For this study, the investigator's objective is to acquire elucidation in disease etiology, translation, and advancing public health by evaluating blood and tissue results of those with cardiac disease undergoing cardiac surgery.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• All patients who undergo cardiac surgery at Advocate Children's Hospital (ACH)& University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC) by the ACH & UC Cardiothoracic Surgery Research team who are pediatric neonates and up.
• Patients will only be English speaking.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Vulnerable Subjects/Subject Capacity to provide consent