Congenital Heart Surgery Nomenclature and Database Project: vascular rings, tracheal stenosis, pectus excavatum

The extant nomenclature for vascular rings, tracheal stenosis, and pectus deformities is reviewed for the purpose of establishing a unified reporting system. The subject was debated and reviewed by members of the STS-Congenital Heart Surgery Database Committee and representatives from the European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery. All efforts were made to include all relevant nomenclature categories using synonyms where appropriate. Vascular rings are subclassified as double aortic arch, right arch/left ligamentum, pulmonary artery sling, and innominate compression. Tracheal stenosis is subclassified as congenital complete tracheal rings (localized or long-segment) or acquired postintubation types. Pectus deformities are subclassified as pectus excavatum and carinatum (mild, moderate, severe). A comprehensive database set is presented which is based on a hierarchical scheme. Data are entered at various levels of complexity and detail which can be determined by the clinician. These data can lay the foundation for comprehensive risk stratification analyses. A minimum database set is also presented which will allow for data sharing and would lend itself to basic interpretation of trends. Outcome tables relating diagnoses, procedures, and various risk factors are presented.