Biography

Vidhya Annavajjhala, MD, is a pediatric cardiologist who provides comprehensive care for all patients, from fetuses to teenagers.

Dr. Annavajjhala’s clinical areas of interest are fetal and intraoperative imaging, single ventricle congenital heart disease, and right ventricular functional assessment.

Dr. Annavajjhala received her medical degree at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in 2009. She then finished her residency in pediatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in 2012, followed by a pediatric cardiology fellowship at Texas Children’s Hospital – Baylor College of Medicine in 2015. She also completed an advanced imaging fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine in 2017.

She speaks English, Telugu, Hindi, and Urdu.

Education

Medical School
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, TX
Residency
Weill Cornell New York Presbyterian Hospital, NY
Fellowship
Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, TX
Stanford University School of Medicine

Areas of Interest

Clinical Interests

Advanced cardiac imaging (including fetal, transthoracic and transesophageal imaging)

Echocardiography quality improvement,

Single Ventricle Interstage monitoring program

Research Interests

1. Assessment of echocardiographic ventricular mechanics pre and post transcatheter closure of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus in neonates. PI(s): Vidhya Annavajjhala, MD, Poonam Mahajan, MD

2. Echocardiographic Assessment of Right Ventricular Function in Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients using Speckle Tracking – Prospective study

3. Congenital Hearts and Nutrigenetics (CHANGE) study: Co-investigator

Publications

Visit the PubMed profile page

1. Annavajjhala V, Cosby K, Partovi KS, Martyr S, Reiter CD, Gladwin MT. Effects of Nitrite on Vasodilation via Nitric Oxide Derivatives. Poster presentation: Sigma Xi Research Conference; November 2003; Los Angeles, CA.

2. Gonzalez FM, Vincent PS, Shiva S, Hon C, Annavajjhala V, Aletras AH, Cannon RO 3rd, Gladwin MT, Arai AE. Low Dose Nitrite Ameliorates Myocardial Ischemia- Reperfusion Injury and Reduces Infarct Size in a Canine Model. Poster presentation:
HHMI Meeting of Medical Student Fellows; May 2005; Chevy Chase, MD

3. Rodrigo M, Benjamin M, Carlow A, Annavajjhala V, Dejam A, Paul JD, Powell TM, Thompson M, McCoy J, Zalos G, Murphy M, Hill JM, Gladwin MT, Orlic D, Cannon R. Contribution of Nitric Oxide to Endothelial Progenitor Cell Mobilization, Survival and Differentiation Potential in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Cardiac Rehabilitation. Poster presentation: American Heart Association Scientific Sessions; November 2005; Dallas, TX.

4. Mulla ZD, Annavajjhala V, Gonzalez-Sanchez JL, Nuwayhid BS, Simon MR. Group B Streptococcal Colonization and the Risk of Preeclampsia: An Exploratory Study. Poster presentation: Annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal medicine; January 2009; San Diego, CA

5. Annavajjhala V, Frank MD, Solomon A, Kovanlikaya A, Parker TS, Cooper RS, Hudgins LC. Paradoxical Relationship Between Reactive Hyperemia Index and Age in Children with Lipid Disorders. J Clin Lipidol. 2012; 6(3):271-272. Poster presentation: National Lipid Association 2012 Annual Scientific Sessions; June 2012; Scottsdale, Arizona.

6. Annavajjhala V, Jeewa A, Sexson K, Chen P, Cui Q, Almeida-Jones M, Pignatelli RH. Assessment of right ventricular function in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Poster Presentation: 25th American Society of Echocardiography Scientific Sessions; June 2014; Portland, OR.

7. Annavajjhala V, Punn R, McElhinney DB. Serial Evaluation of Right Ventricular Mechanics in Young Children after Tetralogy of Fallot Repair. Poster presentation: 27th American Society of Echocardiography Scientific Sessions; June 2016, Seattle, WA.
8. Gupta VS, Popp E, Ebanks AS, Kardon G, Greenleaf C, Annavajjhala VS, Patel N, Robie D, Lally PA, Harting MT. “Isolated aortic arch anomalies are associated with defect severity and outcome in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.” American Association for Thoracic Surgery 101st Annual Meeting, Virtual (COVID-19), April 2021

9. Huntley ES, Hernandez-Andrade EA, Harting MT, Papanna R, Bergh E, Annavajjhala VS, Biliciler-Denktas G, Soto E, Johnson A. Interventricular differences in size, shape, and contractility in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Accepted as electronic poster: International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics Conference, September 2022, London

10. Donthula R, Marshall M, Annavajjhala V, Uppu S. “A combination of Rare Vascular Anomalies Involving Major Vessels”. Poster presentation at the American Academy of Pediatrics, October 2022, Anaheim, California.

11. Mills A, Dawson AE, Scott MC, Annavajjhala V, Kennedy AM, Bequeaith BA, Salazar JD, LaPar DJ. “Modern Surgical Approaches for Neonates with Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection Have Improved Surgical Outcomes”.
Poster presentation, STS 2023

12. Maskatia S, Yilmaz B, Howley L, Gardiner H, Annavajjhala V, Freud LR, Divanovic A, Chou F, Ghimire L, Moon-Grady A. Cardiomyopathy and clinical outcomes in advanced state twin-twin transfusion syndrome: Results from the Fetal Heart Society Research Collaborative. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023 Mar, 81 (8_Supplement) 1537.

13. Nigam P, Buddhavarapu A, Cunningham T, Annavajjhala V. Prenatal Detection of Scimitar Syndrome in the Presence Right Sided Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. Poster presentation American Society of Echocardiography 2023

14. Maskatia S, Yilmaz B, Howley L, Gardiner H, Annavajjhala V, Freud LR, Divanovic A, Chou F, Ghimire L, Moon-Grady A. Predicting Fetal Mortality or Early Birth Using Fetal Echocardiographic Parameters in Advanced Stage TTTS Referred for Laser Therapy: Results from the Fetal Heart Society Research Collaborative. Moderated Poster ASE 2023

15. Graham B, LopeZ S, Annavajjhala V. Ethical Complexities of Antenatal Guidance – Into the Unknown. Poster Presentation 8th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery 2023

16. Marshall M, Huntley E, Annavajjhala V. Serial Evaluation of Ventricular Mechanics in Fetuses with Sacrococcygeal Teratomas. Poster Presentation 8th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery 2023

17. Nigam P, Cunningham T, Annavajjhala V. Prenatal Detection of Scimitar Syndrome and Postnatal Course. Poster Presentation 8th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery 2023