History of Pediatric/Neonatal Cardiovascular Sciences at MCH and McGill

Milestones and Innovations

• 1938 — First Canadian operation to repair a congenital heart defect performed at the Children’s Memorial Hospital (later MCH).

• 1946 — First heart catheterization in Canada, performed at CMH/MCH by Dr. Arnold Johnson, marking the start of modern catheter-based diagnostics in Canadian pediatrics. He later founded the Department of Cardiology at McMaster University.

• 1958 — First open-heart surgery on a child in Québec, performed at the MCH—a defining milestone in pediatric cardiac surgery.

• 1966 — First balloon atrial septostomy performed by Dr. James Gibbons at the MCH, ushering in catheter-based therapy for congenital heart disease. 

• 1988 — First heart transplant on the youngest recipient in Canada at the MCH, expanding expertise in advanced pediatric cardiac surgery and heart failure care. 

• 1994 — Québec’s first congenital cardiac MRI program launched at the MCH, advancing non-invasive structural and functional imaging. 

• 2000 - Establishment of the McGill Adult Unit for Congenital Heart Disease Excellence (MAUDE), consolidating lifespan care from fetal/childhood origins at the MCH through adulthood. Reference 1 and Reference 2.

• 2007 — First percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation in Montreal performed at the MCH, signaling state-of-the-art transcatheter valve therapy for children and young adults. 

Training, Collaboration, and Research

As the Division of Pediatric Cardiology grew at McGill, a Royal College Accredited Training Program in Pediatric Cardiology was launched, along with advanced fellowships in cardiac imaging and interventional cardiology. These programs fostered the growth of a new generation of specialists and strengthened collaborations with related units, such as the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program and the McGill Adult Unit for Congenital Heart Disease (MAUDE), ensuring care from fetal life to adulthood.

Neonatal hemodynamics at the Montreal Children's Hospital evolved notably with the foundation of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in 1957. Under visionary leadership, pioneering research and clinical applications in respiratory disease, innovative devices (such as the ECMO program to treat severe respiratory and cardiac distress founded by Dr Thérèse Perreault), and advanced technologies—surfactant therapy, nitric oxide use, and high-frequency ventilation—were developed and integrated into routine care. The Montreal’s Children Hospital (MCH) has an established ECMO program, introduced in 1991, to support children with heart/lung failure refractory to conventional therapies. The use of ECMO in adults at MUHC was started in May 2013. Prior to 2018, paediatric cases treated at the MUHC were computed in the MCH database. This explains the low number of paediatric cases in the MUHC database. The MCH NICU expanded and gained a reputation for its research and treatment of respiratory diseases in newborns under the guidance of Dr. Mary Ellen Avery, who was Chief of Pediatrics in the 1970s. In 1958, Dr. Robert Usher, then Director of the Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH), invented a needle to administer fluids to very tiny babies. Since then, these two units have collaborated on a number of therapeutic advances, such as the use of surfactant and nitric oxide, neonatal transport, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, high-frequency ventilation, and body cooling, all of which changed the face of neonatology. The Montreal Children’s Hospital is where these technologies were first introduced for the care of newborns in Québec. In 2015, the MCH and RVH NICUs, merged into one large Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the new Montreal Children’s Hospital which provides ultra-specialized intensive care to babies now adjacent to a specialized maternal and perinatal unit. The unit has 52 beds, with single rooms and 4 twin rooms allowing neonates to receive care in a quiet environment that reduces the spread of infection while ensuring families’ privacy.

By the early 21st century, the MCH NICU and Cardiology divisions became home to leading-edge technology and research in neonatal hemodynamics, supporting specialized teams and programs that introduced novel therapies, such as therapeutic hypothermia, hemodialysis, and peritoneal dialysis for fragile newborns. In recent decades, neonatal hemodynamics has emerged as a specialized field, focusing on real-time cardiovascular assessment in critically ill neonates. McGill’s Neonatal Hemodynamics Fellowship Program is one of the few Royal College-accredited programs in Canada. This program trains neonatologists in Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography (TNE), integrating cardiac ultrasound with clinical decision-making. Fellows gain exposure to conditions like pulmonary hypertension, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and participate in research, teaching, and multidisciplinary care. A key driver of innovation in neonatal and pediatric cardiovascular research at McGill is NeoCardioLab, a multidisciplinary research and education platform founded to advance the understanding of heart–brain interactions, neonatal hemodynamics, and congenital heart disease. 

Legacy and Ongoing Impact

As part of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), the Montreal Children's Hospital continues to innovate, forging new paradigms in pediatric cardiac care, training, and research. Its legacy includes pioneering open-heart surgeries, cardiac catheterizations, imaging modalities, and neonatal intensive care practices that set standards across Canada. Today, the synergy between McGill’s academic excellence and the Montreal Children's Hospital’s clinical leadership ensures that advances in pediatric cardiology, cardiac surgery, and neonatal hemodynamics will continue shaping the discipline for future generations. 

Team and members

Pediatric Cardiac Surgeons (Congenital / Pediatric CV Surgery)

• David R. Murphy, MDCM — Pioneer of pediatric cardiovascular surgery at the Children’s; co‑led the Sub‑Department of Cardiovascular Surgery; Surgeon‑in‑Chief at the MCH; active ~1950s–1980s. David R. Murphy was a Montrealer who graduated from McGill with both his B.Sc. in 1939 and his M.D.C.M. in 1942. He obtained his Master’s of Science Degree in Experimental Surgery in 1949 and studied in the Diploma Course in Surgery 1946-1950 at McGill University. Dr. Murphy then participated in a travel year with visits to a number of universities with particular emphasis on Paediatric Surgery and Cardiovascular Surgery. He was in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, 1942-1946, as a Captain, and served on the H.M.C.S. Lady Nelson as a surgeon and later at The Montreal Military Hospital, 1943-1945. He completed a special course in Thoracic Surgery under Dr. Fraser B. Gurd. Dr. Murphy was an early pioneer in Cardiovascular Surgery in children and corrected defects in the developing child in the early days of this specialty. His publications include topics such as mitral stenosis, extracorporeal circulation and pulmonary stenosis. Dr. Murphy was President of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and he succeeded Dr. Dudley Ross as Surgeon-in-Chief at The Montreal Children’s Hospital in 1954. He remained Surgeon-in-Chief until August 1974, and his many achievements include an increased emphasis on basic surgical research as well as improvements in surgical care for children in all of the surgical specialties.

• Gordon M. Karn, MD — Early staff pediatric surgeon deeply involved in the Children’s cardiovascular program; co‑authored early congenital series; active ~1950s–1970s (d. 1981). In 1967, Dr. Karn, a pediatric surgical leader of his time convinced the newly formed Canadian Association of Pediatric Surgeons (CAPS)to adopt the Montreal Children’s Hospital motto – Ambroise Paré’s “Je le pensay; Dieu le guarit” (I treated him, God healed him) – as the Association’s motto, which stands to this day. Born in 1920, Karn graduated from McGill University Faculty of Medicine in 1942 and saw active service with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps between 1944 and 1946 as Captain. He joined the Montreal Children's Hospital in the 1950s. In 1967, he convinced the newly formed Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons (CAPS) to adopt the Montreal Children's Hospital motto – Ambroise Pare's "Je le pensay; Dieu le guarit" (I treated him, God healed him) – as the Association's motto, which stands to this day. He served as Chairman of the medical board of the Montreal Children's Hospital in 1970. Karn was one of the early members of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada. Gordon was a graduate and faculty member at McGill University and paediatric surgeon at the Montreal Children's Hospital. He was a paediatric leader of his time.

• Anthony R. C. (Tony) Dobell, MD, FRCSC — Architect of modern pediatric cardiac surgery at McGill/MCH; Director of the McGill Division of CV & Thoracic Surgery 1974–1992; active 1960s–1990s. Anthony R.C. (Tony) Dobell (1927–2015) was a pioneering cardiothoracic surgeon who helped build modern pediatric and adult cardiac surgery at McGill. Born at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, he earned a BSc (1949) and MD (1951) from McGill, then trained in general and thoracic surgery at Jefferson Medical College under John H. Gibbon Jr., whose heart–lung machine catalyzed the open-heart era. Returning to Montreal in 1956, Dobell became one of the first Canadian surgeons to perform open-heart operations, ultimately directing McGill’s Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (1973–1992) and serving as Surgeon-in-Chief at the Montreal Children’s Hospital (1974–1992). A gifted builder of programs and people, Dobell established a McGill-based cardiothoracic residency and took pride in training more than 40 residents who spread across North America. He performed over 2,000 heart operations on children, led nationally as the first Canadian president of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (1981–82), and was named to the Order of Canada (1997). His legacy is honored through the Anthony Dobell Chair and Visiting Professorship in Congenital Cardiac Surgery at McGill. He died on June 17, 2015, at age 88.

• Christo I. Tchervenkov, MD, FRCSC — Tony Dobell Chair; Division Head, Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery at the Children’s; long‑standing leader in congenital cardiac surgery; active 1980s–present. Dr. Christo Tchervenkov, MD, FRCSC, is a distinguished pediatric cardiovascular surgeon and a Professor of Surgery at McGill University. He serves as the Division Head of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery at Montreal Children's Hospital and is also a staff surgeon at Montreal General Hospital. Dr. Tchervenkov specializes in pediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgery, with a particular interest in advancing surgical techniques and improving outcomes for patients with congenital heart conditions. He has contributed extensively to the field, authoring several influential articles, including those on hypoplastic left heart syndrome, tetralogy of Fallot, and global strategies for congenital heart disease treatment. Dr. Tchervenkov is actively involved in global advocacy, regularly participating in international conferences to advance knowledge and care in pediatric cardiology. His work continues to shape the landscape of congenital heart surgery through clinical expertise, research, and collaboration across the global medical community. He is the founding president of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery (WSPCHS).

• Pierre‑Luc Bernier, MD, MPH, FRCSC — Staff congenital cardiac surgeon at the Children’s & Royal Victoria; fellowship training at CHONY and CHOP; active 2010s–present. Dr Bernier is an attending cardiac surgeon and Associate Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Surgery at McGill University in Montreal. He is a graduate of McGill University Medical School and completed his residency training at McGill University as well. He then obtained fellowship training in congenital cardiac surgery at Columbia University/Children’s Hospital of New York City as well as the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr Bernier then completed a Master’s of Public Health and Health care management at Columbia University before returning to Montreal in 2014 to debut his practice at the Montreal Children's Hospital and the Royal Victoria Hospital. Dr. Bernier is also an associate member and practices at CHU Ste-Justine and the Montreal Heart Institute.

• Related collaborator: Renzo Cecere, MD, FRCSC — Adult CV surgeon, MUHC Director of Mechanical Assist Program; frequent cross‑site collaboration for advanced support (ECMO/LVAD) for congenital patients.

Pediatric Cardiologists (Montreal Children’s Hospital)

• Arnold S. Johnson, MD — Performed Canada’s first cardiac catheterization for congenital heart disease (1946); early cardiologist associated with the Children’s; active 1940s–1970s. Johnson completed his undergraduate medical education at McGill University. He subsequently served as a medical officer in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. In 1945, he completed a post-graduate fellowship at Harvard University with Paul Dudley White. Upon returning to Canada, he performed the first heart catheterization procedure at the Montreal Children's Hospital in 1946. The following year, in 1947, he was appointed Director of Cardiology at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. He pioneered the first cardiac pacemaker and also developed the first comprehensive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) program.[4] In 1971, he completed a joint fellowship at Université Laval and University of North Carolina in clinical epidemiology. In 1974, he moved to McMaster University, helping in the founding of its Department of Cardiology.

• James E. (Jim) Gibbons, MD, FAAP, FACC — Performed Canada’s first interventional cath (balloon atrial septostomy, 1966); cardiologist at the Children’s and McGill faculty; active 1960s–1980s. Dr Gibbons was born in Smith Falls, Ontario and graduated from Queen's University. After post-graduate training at the Royal Victoria Hospital and Fellowships at the Montreal Children's Hospital and Duke University, he went on to practice cardiology at the Montreal Children's Hospital, serving as director for many years. He was appointed Associate Professor of Medicine at McGill University. 

• Marie J. Béland, MD — Division Director of Pediatric Cardiology from 1996–2008). Dr Béland was an influential educator and electrophysiologist; active 1980s–2010s. She is actively involved with the International Society for Nomenclature of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease (ISNPCHD), which is the leading organization for standardizing nomenclature related to congenital heart disease (CHD). The "International Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Code” (IPCCC) is the product of the initial mission of the ISNPCHD. Dr. Marie J. Béland served for 29 years at the MCH and was a cornerstone of Pediatric Cardiology. After an undergraduate degree in economics, she completed medical school, pediatrics, and pediatric cardiology at McGill/MCH, with a clinical research fellowship at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children before returning to the MCH in 1986. As Division Director of Pediatric Cardiology (1996–2008), she guided the service with a steady, understated hand, building tight clinical bridges with CVT surgery, the PICU, NICU, and general pediatrics. Under her leadership, on-site capabilities in interventional cardiology, fetal cardiology, and advanced imaging took root—foundations that matured into today’s state-of-the-art diagnostic and interventional platform at the Glen site. In 2006, her administrative leadership was recognized with the MCH Foundation Award for Administrative Excellence. Clinically, she is known for a calm, Zen-like presence, encyclopedic cardiovascular knowledge, and a gift for explaining complex conditions to families, learners, and colleagues. Dr. Béland’s influence extends internationally. She was a founding member of the Board of Directors of the International Society for Nomenclature for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease and has served for many years on the Executive of the International Working Group for Coding and Mapping of Nomenclatures for Congenital and Pediatric Heart Disease. Her meticulous, systems-minded approach—honed at the bedside and in the clinic—has helped standardize how congenital heart disease is described and communicated worldwide, an enduring example of acting locally while impacting globally.

• Charles V. Rohlicek, MD — Cardiologist at the Children’s for 30+ years with research in hypoxia and neurodevelopment after CHD surgery; retired Dec 2023; active 1990s–2023. Charles V. Rohlicek, M.D.C.M., Ph.D. was a long-serving pediatric cardiologist affiliated with the Montreal Children’s Hospital and McGill University. He earned a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Life Sciences from Queen’s University; an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Physiology and an M.D.C.M. from McGill University; and completed his Pediatrics residency and Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto). Trained first as a physiologist and then as a clinician, he built a career that bridges foundational science and bedside care for children with congenital and acquired heart disease. At McGill/MCH he was recognized for meticulous clinical assessment, thoughtful mentorship of trainees, and a sustained commitment to advancing pediatric cardiovascular care through teaching and scholarship. Dr Rohlicek retired in December 2023.

• Luc C. Jutras, MD, CM, FRCPC — Assistant Division Head; Director, Echo Lab & Cardiac MRI Program; on staff since 1988; active 1988–present. Dr. Luc Jutras has worked as a cardiologist at the Children’s since 1988. He is the co-director of the Echocardiography Laboratory and director of the Magnetic Resonance Program. A longstanding member of the faculty, he directs the Echocardiography and Cardiac MRI programs, where he has helped build an integrated pediatric cardiovascular imaging service spanning transthoracic/TEE, fetal and stress applications, and advanced MR assessment of congenital and acquired heart disease. Clinically, Dr. Jutras focuses on imaging-guided diagnosis and longitudinal care for children with complex congenital heart lesions, cardiomyopathies, and ventricular dysfunction. He is widely recognized for meticulous image acquisition standards and protocol development, close collaboration with cardiac surgery and intensive care, and dedicated mentorship of trainees and sonographers. His leadership has been central to establishing high-quality, physiology-informed imaging pathways that support decision-making from the NICU to adolescence.

• Barry A. Love, MD — Pediatric cardiologist; served on the Children’s cardiology faculty ~2000–2002 before moving to Mount Sinai (NYC); active 2000s.

• Adrian B. Dancea, MD, MBA, FRCPC — Division Head  until 2025 (appointed 2009, subsequent renewals); interventional cardiology and pulmonary hypertension; active 2000s–present. A clinician–leader with formal training in management, he has helped modernize and grow a high-acuity program that spans the NICU to adolescence, emphasizing integrated care with cardiac surgery, anesthesia, and intensive care. Clinically, Dr. Dancea focuses on interventional pediatric cardiology and pulmonary hypertension, with expertise in catheter-based diagnosis and therapies for congenital heart disease, device closure of septal defects, and invasive hemodynamic assessment. A dedicated educator and mentor, he oversees fellowship training and promotes rigorous, physiology-informed imaging and cath-lab standards. His academic interests include outcomes and quality improvement in congenital interventions, optimization of peri-procedural care, and multidisciplinary pathways that streamline transition to adult congenital services. Through steady, collaborative leadership, Dr. Dancea has helped position MCH/McGill as a reference centre for complex pediatric cardiovascular care. He completed a BSc in Biochemistry and his medical degree at the University of Ottawa, then a residency in General Pediatrics and a fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University.

• Tíscar Cavallé‑Garrido, MD, FRCPC — Pediatric cardiologist; Program Director for Pediatric Cardiology; co‑director of pediatric advanced imaging; active 2010s–present. Tíscar Cavallé-Garrido, MD, FRCPC is a pediatric cardiologist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and faculty member at McGill University. She serves as Program Director for Pediatric Cardiology and co-leads the hospital’s pediatric advanced imaging program, with clinical expertise spanning transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, fetal echocardiography, and imaging-guided management of congenital heart disease across the perinatal period. A dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Cavallé-Garrido oversees curriculum and fellowship training, promotes rigorous imaging standards, and works closely with maternal–fetal medicine, neonatology, cardiac surgery, and intensive care to streamline pathways from prenatal diagnosis to postnatal intervention. Her scholarly interests include protocol development, quality improvement in congenital imaging, and optimizing family-centered communication around complex cardiac diagnoses. She earned her medical degree at the University of Valencia (Spain); completed residency training in General Pediatrics and Pediatric Cardiology at Hospital La Fe, Universidad de Valencia, and at The Hospital for Sick Children (University of Toronto); and pursued fellowships at SickKids, including a post-doctoral fellowship in Cardiovascular Research and advanced training in Pediatric and Fetal Echocardiography.

• Claudia Renaud, MD, FRCPC — Pediatric & fetal cardiologist; educator and global‑health contributor; active 2010s–present. Claudia Renaud, MD, FRCPC is a pediatric and fetal cardiologist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and faculty member at McGill University. Her clinical work spans prenatal diagnosis through postnatal care, with particular expertise in fetal echocardiography, prenatal counseling, and the longitudinal management of complex congenital heart disease. She collaborates closely with maternal–fetal medicine, neonatal intensive care, cardiac surgery, and heart failure/transplant teams to create seamless care pathways from fetal life to infancy and childhood. An engaged educator and mentor, Dr. Renaud helps train fellows and sonographers in advanced congenital imaging and family-centered communication. Her academic interests include perinatal outcomes in fetuses with heart disease, optimization of fetal and neonatal imaging protocols, and quality-improvement initiatives that streamline the transition from prenatal diagnosis to definitive therapy. She completed a Pediatric Cardiology residency at McGill University/Montreal Children’s Hospital (2012–June 2015), then pursued advanced training as a Fetal Cardiology Fellow at The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto (2015).

• Wadi Mawad, MD, FRCPC — Division head starting 2025. Pediatric cardiologist with advanced echo, fetal cardiology, and cardiac MRI training; active 2010s–present. Wadi Mawad, MD, FRCPC is a pediatric cardiologist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital (McGill University) with subspecialty expertise in advanced non-invasive cardiovascular imaging across the lifespan—from fetal diagnosis to adolescent follow-up. His clinical focus spans pediatric echocardiography, fetal cardiology, and cardiac magnetic resonance, enabling physiology-driven assessment and longitudinal care for children with congenital and acquired heart disease. His research centers on cardiac blood-flow dynamics in congenital heart disease, leveraging ultrasound and cardiac MRI to improve mechanistic understanding and clinical decision-making. Dr. Mawad earned his MD at the Université de Montréal (2009), completed residency training in General Pediatrics at Université Laval (2009–2012) and Pediatric Cardiology at CHU Sainte-Justine (2012–2015), and pursued three sequential fellowships at The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto—pediatric echocardiography (2015–2016), fetal cardiology (2016–2017), and cardiac magnetic resonance (2017–2018). He is also a PhD candidate in the Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), where his work focuses on quantitative flow imaging in congenital heart disease.

• Virginie Beauséjour‑Ladouceur, MD, FRCPC — Pediatric cardiologist with electrophysiology focus; active 2023–present. Virginie Beauséjour-Ladouceur, MD, FRCPC is a pediatric cardiologist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and faculty member at McGill University with a clinical focus in pediatric electrophysiology. Her practice spans the evaluation and management of arrhythmias in infants, children, and adolescents, including risk stratification for inherited arrhythmia syndromes, peri-operative rhythm issues in congenital heart disease, and long-term follow-up of device therapy. She completed a pediatric cardiology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, with additional work in cardiovascular genetics. Boston Children’s fellowship during 2012–2015. She subsequently practiced pediatric electrophysiology at The Hospital for Sick Children (University of Toronto) before returning to Montreal, where she is now on the MCH/McGill pediatric cardiology team (including the MUHC cardiogenetics group).

• Yalin (Yalin Audrey) Lin, MDCM, MSc, FRCPC — Pediatric cardiologist with interests in fetal cardiology and pulmonary hypertension; active 2024–present. Yalin (Audrey) Lin, MDCM, MSc, FRCPC is a pediatric cardiologist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and faculty member at McGill University. Her clinical practice spans fetal and pediatric cardiology with particular expertise in fetal echocardiography and the evaluation and management of pediatric pulmonary hypertension, providing continuity of care from prenatal diagnosis through infancy and childhood. She earned her MDCM at McGill University (2012), completed a pediatric cardiology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, and subsequently held postgraduate positions in echocardiography and pulmonary hypertension (2021-2023).