Corrective surgery of congenital heart defects in neonates: the Prague experience

To assess the outcome and mortality trend in newborns undergoing corrective surgery for congenital heart defect.

We reviewed the hospital records of 1,033 neonates under 30 days of life, who had congenital heart defects operated on at the Kardiocentrum, Motol University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic, during 1977-2001. Early and late mortality and reoperation rates were analyzed.

A total of 1,156 operations were performed in 1,033 neonates. Obstructive lesions were surgically treated in 56%, left-to-right shunts in 21%, and complex conotruncal lesions in 23% of the cases. Total correction has been achieved in 62% of the neonates. Most operations (75%) were performed in the first two weeks of neonate s life. Early 30-day hospital mortality was 13%. Late mortality, after the discharge from the hospital, was 10%. In the last three years, the hospital mortality rate decreased to about 2%. Out of 590 reinterventions in 379 neonates, with the mortality of 6%, 229 were secondary staged corrections and 190 further palliative procedures aimed mostly toward Fontan or Rastelli type of circulation. Residual or recurrent defects were solved in 62 neonates. There were 30 valve replacements, with 18 mechanical valves and 12 pulmonary valve autotransplantations (the Ross procedure). The homograft valved conduit was used in 38 children.

Most newborns with critical congenital heart defects can undergo corrective operation under acceptable risk. Due to complex improvements in perioperative, anaesthetic, surgical, and postoperative care, contemporary hospital mortality can be reduced to 1-3%. Palliative procedures still play an important role in the staged treatment of severe complex heart defects in neonates.