Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2025
Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease
Published on: July 18, 2014
Benefit From a Humanitarian Pediatric Congenital Heart Surgery Program Over a 10-Year Period
Hannah E Fürniss1, Mirjam Leutwyler1,2, Christoph Zürn1
1Department of Congenital Heart Disease and Pediatric Cardiology, University Heart Center Freiburg, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Insights
Humanitarian congenital heart surgery via Kinderherzen retten e.V. (KHR) showed excellent survival and developmental outcomes. This sustainable program offers a viable therapeutic option for children from low-income countries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Global Health
- Congenital Heart Disease
Background:
- Kinderherzen retten e.V. (KHR) facilitates humanitarian congenital heart surgery for children from low- and middle-income countries.
- Procedures are performed at the University Heart Center Freiburg, Germany.
- Study aims to evaluate KHR's sustainability through periprocedural and mid-term outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- Assess periprocedural outcomes of KHR-treated pediatric patients.
- Evaluate mid-term outcomes, including survival, development, and socioeconomic status.
- Determine the sustainability and viability of the KHR program.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of periprocedural data (2008-2017).
- Prospective follow-up using questionnaires for mid-term outcomes.
- Data collected on survival, medical history, development, and socioeconomic factors.
Main Results:
- 100 children from 20 countries treated; 89 underwent surgery, 8 catheter interventions.
- No periprocedural deaths; median mechanical ventilation 7 hours, ICU stay 2 days, hospital stay 12 days.
- 5-year survival 94.4%; 86.2% received ongoing care, 96.5% good mental, 94.7% good physical condition.
Conclusions:
- KHR program demonstrates satisfactory cardiac, neurodevelopmental, and socioeconomic outcomes.
- Thorough pre-visit evaluation and local physician collaboration are key.
- The KHR program offers a high-quality, sustainable, and viable treatment option.
Abstract:
Background: The charity organization Kinderherzen retten e.V. (KHR) enables humanitarian congenital heart surgery for pediatric patients from low- and middle-income countries at the University Heart Center Freiburg, Germany. The aim of this study was to assess periprocedural and mid-term outcomes of these patients for evaluation of KHR sustainability. Methods: Part one of the study comprised retrospective medical chart analyses of the periprocedural course of all KHR-treated children from 2008 to 2017, and part two a prospective evaluation of their mid-term outcome, assessed by questionnaires concerning survival, medical history, mental and physical development, and socioeconomic situation. Results: Of the 100 consecutively presented children from 20 countries (median age 3.25 years), 3 patients were not invasively treatable, 89 underwent cardiovascular surgery, and 8 received a catheter intervention only. There were no periprocedural deaths. Median postoperative duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care stay, and total hospital stay was 7 (interquartile range [IQR] 4-21) hours, 2 (IQR 1-3) days, and 12 (IQR 10-16) days, respectively. Mid-term postoperative follow-up demonstrated a 5-year survival probability of 94.4%. The majority of patients received continued medical care in their home country (86.2% of patients), were in good mental and physical condition (96.5% and 94.7% of patients, respectively), and able to engage in age-appropriate education/employment (98.3% of patients). Conclusions: Cardiac, neurodevelopmental, and socioeconomic outcomes of patients treated via KHR was satisfactory. Thorough pre-visit evaluation and close contact with local physicians are crucial when providing this high-quality, sustainable, and viable therapeutic option for these patients.
