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Adults with serious congenital heart disease benefit from surgical correction, even at an older age. While complications may increase, long-term outcomes for adult congenital heart disease surgery are favorable.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease
- Cardiac Surgery
Background:
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) often requires intervention in adulthood.
- Late diagnosis of CHD in adults can complicate treatment and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the reasons for late diagnosis of CHD in adults.
- To evaluate operative complications and long-term results of surgical correction for adult CHD.
- To determine if age is a limiting factor for cardiac surgery in adults.
Main Methods:
- Review of literary data on adult CHD.
- Analysis of a series of 264 adult patients undergoing invasive hemodynamic examination (1978-1982).
- Evaluation of 162 patients who underwent surgery and 128 patients with long-term follow-up after surgical treatment for CHD.
Main Results:
- Hemodynamically significant CHD is indicated for surgical correction in adults.
- Age is not a contraindication for cardiosurgical intervention in adult CHD patients.
- Adult patients may experience more complications and a severe post-operative course.
Conclusions:
- Surgical correction for adult CHD yields very good long-term results.
- Timely surgical intervention for CHD in adults is crucial, regardless of age.
- Management of adult CHD requires anticipation of increased perioperative risks.
Abstract:
On the basis of literary data and of their own series of 264 adult patients, who were in 1978-1982 subjected to invasive haemodynamic examination for congenital heart disease, 162 patients operated on, and 128 patients followed up for long-term periods after surgical treatment of congenital heart disease in adult age, the authors analyse the causes of late recognition of the disease, operative complications and long-term operative results. It is pointed out that a haemodynamically serious congenital heart disease is indicated for surgical correction even in adult age, and that age itself does not represent a limitation to cardiosurgical intervention. In adult age, it is necessary to anticipate a greater number of complications and a more severe post-operative course, but the long-term results are very good.