About the Coronary Anomaly Management Program (CAMP)

The Coronary Anomaly Management Program (CAMP) at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is the only program in the mid-Atlantic region providing comprehensive care and monitoring for children with coronary artery anomalies. A form of congenital heart disease, coronary artery anomalies occur when one or both coronary arteries arise from the wrong location on the aorta. Some forms of coronary anomalies are associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, notably during or just after exercise.

Led by pediatric cardiologist Julie Brothers, MD, the CAMP program brings together world-renowned CHOP experts to coordinate care for patients with these complex, often difficult-to-manage conditions. At CHOP, your child’s CAMP healthcare team will include a cardiothoracic surgeon, an adult congenital heart disease specialist and cardiologists. Everyone on this care team has special training in caring for patients with coronary anomalies and expertise in echocardiography, electrophysiology and MRI. The team meets regularly to discuss treatment recommendations for each patient of the CAMP program.

The CAMP team is also conducting research that will help further our understanding of coronary anomalies and allow us to learn even more about the best way to care for your child. 

The Coronary Anomaly Management Program is open to patients within CHOP and those referred from outside physicians.

Partnering with families to provide the best care

Coronary artery anomalies are often diagnosed in children who do not have symptoms but who have an echocardiogram done for another reason. Some children may have symptoms, most notably during or just after exercise. These symptoms may include chest pain, palpitations, dizziness, and/or syncope (fainting). Once diagnosed, there are no clear guidelines on how to care for these patients, especially children and adolescents without symptoms, which can make finding the best course for care enormously challenging.