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Updated: May 22, 2026

Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease
Published on: July 18, 2014
[Many adults with congenital heart disease are lost to follow up]
Jeroen C Vis1, Mark J Schuuring, Enno T van der Velde
1Academisch Medisch Centrum, Afd. Cardiologie, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Insights
Many adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) miss regular cardiological care. This study highlights the critical need for ongoing follow-up, even in asymptomatic patients, to detect potentially serious residual lesions after childhood treatment.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD)
Context:
- Adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) often require lifelong monitoring.
- A significant number of these patients are lost to cardiological follow-up, posing risks for undetected complications.
Purpose:
- To identify adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) who have fallen out of regular cardiological care.
- To assess the prevalence of residual lesions and the need for follow-up in this population.
Summary:
- A nationwide campaign identified 593 adults with CHD not under regular care.
- Within a year, 66% were seen by a cardiologist, 22% required further follow-up, and 16% had new residual lesions detected.
- Pulmonary valve replacement was necessary in three patients.
Impact:
- Reveals a substantial gap in regular cardiac care for adults with CHD.
- Emphasizes the high incidence of asymptomatic residual lesions post-childhood correction.
- Underscores the necessity of consistent cardiological follow-up for all CHD patients, regardless of symptoms.
Objective:
Identification of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) who were lost to cardiological follow-up.
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Method:
Adults with CHD and not under cardiological follow-up were asked via a nationwide publicity campaign to contact the CONCOR (CONgenital CORvitia) project group.
Results:
A total of 593 patients with mild (85%) to moderate-severe (15%) CHD were registered via the nationwide campaign. Of these patients, 66% were examined within 1 year by a cardiologist. Additional cardiac follow-up was necessary within 1 year in 22% of these patients. In 16% of the patients, new residual lesions were found; and in three of these patients the pulmonary valve required replacement.
Conclusion:
During this comprehensive nationwide campaign it became clear that a considerable number of adults with CDH fail to receive regular cardiac care. However, after surgical correction of CHD in childhood, residual lesions are common in this population. Threatening residual lesions can be present asymptomatically. Cardiological follow-up is therefore almost always necessary, also in patients without symptoms. Patients with CHD as well as their medical care personnel need to be well informed of this.
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