Surgical treatment of congenital heart defects in adulthood Special surgical and interdisciplinary challenge

Successful treatment of congenital heart defects by pediatric cardiac surgeons and pediatric cardiologists is responsible for survival rates above 90% in the current era. Long-term survival into adulthood, even for newborns with complex cardiac conditions has become very common. It is estimated that there are around 250,000-350,000 patients in this relatively heterogeneous patient group in Germany, which nowadays exceeds the number of pediatric patients with congenital heart defects (approximately 120,000 patients). The constantly increasing number of grown-ups with congenital heart (GUCH) defects need to be classified according to the underlying cardiac disease and the individual treatment history. Systematic categorization helps to determine each patient's individual risk and treatment complexity. Non-corrected cardiac malformations, residual cardiac problems after correction or palliation and clinically relevant heart failure are the most important surgical treatment indications for adults with congenital heart defects.