Adult Congenital Heart Disease

The incidence of congenital heart disease is about 1 in 150 live births. In the United States, there are comprehensive healthcare programs that care for the pediatric patient with congenital heart disease; however, there are far fewer resources available for the adult patient. In fact, the majority of adult congenital heart disease patients are cared for in centers without specific expertise in congenital heart disease, which often results in worse outcomes for many of these complex patients. Therefore, it is preferable for patients with anything more than simple congenital heart disease to be treated in centers with specialized programs that have a full spectrum of providers. This chapter will review some of the medical, anesthetic and surgical challenges in caring for these patients.