Dr. Raúl F. Abella

A consultation with Dr Raúl Abella may be particularly valuable if a child has been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, requires surgical treatment, or if the family would like to obtain a second opinion regarding a proposed operation.

Specialist assessment is particularly important in cases involving complex or multiple congenital heart defects, when surgery is required during the first few months or even the first weeks of life, as well as in situations where it is necessary to determine the optimal timing and extent of surgical intervention.

In congenital heart disease, decisions are often made by more than one specialist. Modern care involves a multidisciplinary team comprising paediatric cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists, anaesthetists, intensive care specialists, perfusionists and other clinicians.

This multidisciplinary approach forms the basis of care for children with congenital heart disease.

Dr Raúl F. Abella (Raúl Abella Antón) is a cardiovascular surgeon specialising in paediatric cardiac surgery and the surgical treatment of congenital heart defects. He is regarded as one of the key specialists within the paediatric cardiac surgery programme.

Dr Abella’s professional career has been dedicated to congenital heart surgery for several decades. Before working in Barcelona, he worked at major European centres for paediatric and cardiovascular surgery in Italy, including Bambino Gesù in Rome, Hesperia Hospital in Modena and IRCCS Policlinico San Donato in Milan.

His professional biography records more than 5,000 heart operations performed on patients ranging from newborn babies to adults.

Dr Abella specialises in the surgical treatment of congenital heart disease in newborn babies, children and older patients living with congenital heart conditions.

His main areas of expertise include:

• complex congenital heart defects;
• neonatal surgery for congenital heart defects;
• Tetralogy of Fallot;
• transposition of the great arteries;
• pulmonary atresia;
• ventricular and atrial septal defects;
• hypoplastic left heart syndrome;
• single-ventricle heart defects and staged surgical procedures;
• heart valve disease and reconstructive valve surgery;
• complex surgery of the pulmonary artery and right ventricular outflow tract;
• surgical treatment of heart failure;
• mechanical circulatory support;
• paediatric heart transplantation.

A particular focus of his practice is the treatment of children with complex congenital heart defects who require surgery during the neonatal period.

Complex cases and transplantation

Dr Abella also treats patients who require care for severe heart failure and heart transplantation.

Dr Abella was part of the Vall d’Hebron team that performed Spain’s first combined heart and liver transplant in a paediatric patient.

This exceptionally complex procedure involved a large multidisciplinary team of specialists.

Dr Abella’s professional career has included work at leading European cardiovascular surgery centres:

1991–1995 — Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Rome1995–2001 — Hesperia Hospital, Modena2002–2009 — IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, MilanSince 2009 — Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona

Dr Abella is also involved in research in paediatric and congenital cardiac surgery.

His publications cover areas including the surgical treatment of complex congenital heart defects, aortic arch reconstruction, pulmonary atresia, surgery for complex right ventricular anatomy and other fields within paediatric cardiac surgery.

His scientific publications are indexed in international medical databases.

Throughout his career, Dr Abella has also participated in international programmes supporting the development of paediatric cardiovascular surgery and in humanitarian medical missions.