[Anesthesia for patients with congenital heart disease undergoing non-cardiac surgery]

An increasing number of children who have undergone corrective surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) reach adulthood every year. These survivors defy commonly used classification schemes for adults undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Due to lack of data, the risk-benefit assessment for undergoing non-cardiac interventions must be individualized. An interdisciplinary team approach is the corner stone for the safe delivery of anesthesia to this patient population. This review is meant to equip the anesthesiologist with the necessary tools for the safe perioperative sailing of his patient suffering from CHD.