About heart surgery
Surgery for congenital heart defects usually falls into one of three
categories: "closed" corrective surgery, open-heart corrective surgery, or
palliative surgery.
- Closed corrective surgery does not require use of cardiopulmonary bypass
(CPB) because there is no need to open the heart to repair the defect. Typical
procedures include ligation and division of patent ductus arteriosus, repair
of coarctation of the aorta and repair of vascular rings.
- Open-heart corrective surgery is used to correct defects inside the heart.
During these procedures, CPB is used to supply oxygen to the blood and pump
blood through the body, bypassing the heart and lungs. Some children require
hypothermia, which lowers the body temperature and allows the surgeon to stop
all blood circulation to safely repair the heart.
- Palliative surgery is used almost exclusively in the treatment of complex
defects that are not suited to early correction. In these cases, a staged
approach to treatment is more effective. Palliative surgery provides a bridge
to prepare the heart for eventual complete repair.
After a referral, then what?
The families of patients referred to the cardiovascular-thoracic surgeons are
scheduled for a family consultation. In this visit, the surgeon may use
anatomical models and drawings to illustrate the defect and describe the needed
corrective procedure; families are encouraged to ask questions. Surgical
consultations can usually be scheduled within one week of the initial call.
After the family decides to proceed with the surgery, the
procedure is scheduled and the referring cardiologist is notified of the date.
Please note: surgery
dates are scheduled anywhere from two weeks to several months in advance, and summer is
typically the busiest time of the year. Surgery schedules are, of course, subject to
change in the event of an emergency or if the child has a cold or
fever.