Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 26, 2026
Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease
Published on: July 18, 2014
Earlier surgical intervention in congenital heart disease results in better outcome and resource utilization
Roheena Z Panni1, Awais Ashfaq, Muhammad M Amanullah
1Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Insights
Managing congenital heart disease (CHD) in children incurs significant costs, particularly for older patients requiring surgery. Early detection and awareness campaigns could reduce healthcare expenditure for pediatric CHD.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Health Economics
- Public Health
Background:
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a significant pediatric health concern.
- This study is the first to estimate the cost of managing CHD in Pakistan.
- CHD requires substantial healthcare resources for pre, intra, and postoperative care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the economic burden of congenital heart disease (CHD) in children.
- To analyze the costs associated with surgical management of CHD.
- To compare costs between different age groups undergoing CHD surgery.
Main Methods:
- A prevalence-based cost of illness study was conducted.
- Data was collected from 120 pediatric patients (≤ 5 years) undergoing cardiac surgery.
- A pre-tested questionnaire was used to gather information from June 2006 to June 2009.
Main Results:
- Surgical admission costs were significantly higher in older children (1-5 years) compared to infants (1-12 months).
- Postoperative outpatient visit costs were also significantly higher in the older group.
- Hemorrhage and postoperative seizures were common complications, with significant differences between age groups.
Conclusions:
- Managing congenital heart disease (CHD) results in substantial financial expenditure.
- Earlier detection and increased public awareness campaigns are recommended to potentially reduce healthcare costs.
- Implementing cost-saving strategies is crucial for improving CHD management in Pakistan.
Background:
Congenital heart disease (CHD) accounts for a major proportion of disease in the pediatric age group. The objective of the study was to estimate the cost of illness associated with CHD pre, intra and postoperatively; among patients referred to a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. This is the first study conducted to estimate the cost of managing CHD in Pakistan.
Methods:
A prevalence based cost of illness study design was used to estimate the cost of cardiac surgery (corrective & palliative) for congenital heart defects in children ≤ 5 years of age from June 2006 to June 2009. A total of 120 patients were enrolled after obtaining an informed consent and the data was collected using a pre-tested questionnaire.
Results:
The mean age at the time of surgery in group A (1-12 mo age) was 6.08 ± 2.80 months and in group B (1-5 yrs) was 37.10 ± 19.94 months. The cost of surgical admission was found to be significantly higher in the older group, p = 0.001. The total number and cost of post-operative outpatient visits was also higher in group B, p = 0.003. Pre and post operative hospital admissions were not found to be significantly different among the two groups, p = 0.166 and 0.627, respectively. The number of complications were found to be different between the two groups (p = 0.019). Majority of these were contributed by hemorrhage and post-operative seizures.
Conclusion:
This study concluded that significant expenditure is incurred by people with CHD; with the implication that resources could be saved by earlier detection and awareness campaigns.
