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The thymus plays an important role in the development of the immune cell pool; it serves as the primary location for T-lymphocyte maturation. Early cardiac surgical interventions for congenital heart defects are necessarily associated with thymectomy, i.e. the partial or complete removal of the thymus. A newborn infant already has a functioning thymus and developed cells of the immune system. However, thymectomy eliminates the primary location where T cells differentiate and mature. This study summarizes the current knowledge of the cellular disturbances and potential clinical consequences associated with performing thymectomy in children treated surgically for congenital heart defects.

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