[Surgical management of congenital heart defects beyond the age of 60]

The population with congenital heart disease is increasing and ageing.

The aim of the authors was to examine the outcome of surgical management of congenital heart diseases beyond the age of 60 years.

Between 2013 and 2015, 77 adults were operated (36 younger, and 41 older than forty years, including 12 patients aged over 60 years. The numbers of procedures were as follows (in brackets the number of operations in the three age groups): Ross surgery 5 (3, 2, 0); aortic valve replacement 19 (12, 1, 6); subaortic membrane resection 1 (0, 0, 1); Bentall/ascending aortic plasty 8 (4, 3, 1); myectomy with or without mitral valve replacement in left ventricular outflow obstruction 5 (0, 3, 2); aortic coarctation 1 (1, 0, 0); ligation of ductus arteriosus 2 (1, 1, 0); reconstruction of right ventricular outflow tract with biological valve 4 (0, 3, 1); homograft 5 (5, 0, 0); BioValsalva graft 1 (0, 1, 0); primary reconstruction of complete atrioventricular septum defect 3 (1, 2, 0); valve replacement 2 (1, 1, 0); ventricular septum defect 10 (4, 6, 0); atrial septum defect closure 5 (2, 3, 0); total cavopulmonal anastomosis 1 (1, 0, 0); valve replacement in congenital transposition of great arteries 1 (0, 1, 0), Ebstein operation with valve plasty 2 (0, 1, 1); valve replacement 2 (1, 0, 1).

There was no operative mortality, while early mortality occurred in one patient with total cavopulmonal anastomosis due to multiorgan failure.

Congenital heart defects can be operated beyond the age of 60 years with good results in a tertiary heart centre having great experience in the management of congenital and acquired heart disease.