Congenital heart disease in adults: an 8-year surgical experience in a medium-volume cardiac center

OBJECTIVES: We report our 8-year experience with surgery for congenital heart disease in adults in a medium-volume surgical center. METHODS: We collected data of 161 consecutive patients who underwent 230 procedures from January 1997 to December 2004. Surgical procedures were divided into two groups: repair (85.7%) and reoperation (14.3). RESULTS: There was only one in-hospital death (Fontan revision, in reoperation group). At a mean follow-up time of 56 +/- 30 months, overall freedom from any kind of complication is 76.5%. Cox analysis showed that incremental risk factors were preoperative cyanosis, reoperation, and length of ICU stay (hazard ratio = 4.47, 3.34 and 1.49, respectively; P < 0.001 in all), whereas decremental risk factors were preoperative New York Heart Association class 1 (hazard ratio = 0.328, P < 0.001) and surgery for 'septal defect' (hazard ratio = 0.26, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Surgery for congenital heart disease in adults seems to be an overall well-tolerated and a low-risk treatment, with overall good mid-term clinical results.