Timing of cardiac surgery and other intervention among children with congenital heart disease: A review article

Abstract

Background: Early diagnosis and improved facilities are necessary for determining the optimal timing of surgery and other interventions in children with congenital heart diseases in Nigeria. This is because late presentation, late diagnosis and delayed surgery can lead to mortality and affect the quality of life among these children.Objectives: This review article is aimed at enumerating the timing of cardiac surgeries and other interventions and to seek if there is any factor associated with the timing of cardiac surgery. Methods:A search on PubMed database, World Health Organization libraries, Google scholar, TRIP database, and reference lists of selected articles on timing of cardiac surgery in children was done. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was also searched. We noted few data from African setting. Key words such as timing of cardiac surgery; children, congenital heart defect were used. Conclusion:Appropriate timing for cardiac surgery in children with congenital heart disease is very important as late surgical intervention could result in several morbidities and mortality.Timing of cardiac surgery and other intervention among children with congenital heart disease: A review article

Late surgical ventricular septal defect closure in a low middle-income country setting: a case series

“…Pulmonary hypertension should be closely monitored due to the risk of irreversible pulmonary vascular disease. Long-term complications of unrepaired VSD are Eisenmenger syndrome (ES), right ventricular failure, and early death [ 3 , 6 ]. Nearly 50% of all patients with unrepaired large VSDs are at risk of developing ES at one point in time [ 7 ].…”

“…Timing of cardiac surgery is of paramount importance due to complications accompanying late VSD closure. Surgery is of high risk when ventricular dysfunction or pulmonary vascular disease sets in [ 3 , 6 ]. The time for cardiac surgical closure is reported to be late in developing countries compared to the developed world [ 6 ].…”

“…Surgery is of high risk when ventricular dysfunction or pulmonary vascular disease sets in [ 3 , 6 ]. The time for cardiac surgical closure is reported to be late in developing countries compared to the developed world [ 6 ]. In Nigeria for example, 30.7% of children with detected cardiac anomalies had surgical closure after their fifth birthday, with a maximum age of 18 years [ 6 ].…”

“…The time for cardiac surgical closure is reported to be late in developing countries compared to the developed world [ 6 ]. In Nigeria for example, 30.7% of children with detected cardiac anomalies had surgical closure after their fifth birthday, with a maximum age of 18 years [ 6 ]. Conversely, in California, the mean age at VSD closure was reported to be 2.8 years over a period of one year [ 6 ].…”

Clinical profile and surgical outcomes of children presenting with teratology of Fallot

“…death is related to right ventricular hypertrophy or dilation and mortality increases if intra-cardiac repair is not instituted early. The timing of surgery is therefore very important so as to avoid complications [2]. It is important to note that residual lesions are common sequel and could result in late morbidity and mortality [3][4][5].…”