Commentary: Minimally invasive approaches in congenital heart surgery—A service we owe children to help them thrive, not a gimmick to make our lives easier

Abstract

Minimally invasive congenital heart surgery is a powerful tool to enhance quality of life, considering functional, cosmetic, and psychologic benefits offered to kids from their perspective, not ours.

Reply: Ethical considerations while attempting congenital heart surgical care with limited resources at disposal: One scar is still better than two

“…The center is poised to continue making a large impact in the quality and amount of care delivered, having performed more than 1000 congenital cardiac operations over the last 4 years with a mean complexity of RACHS 2.9. 2 These cost-containment efforts have helped allow CEDIMAT to reach a rapidly increasing, vulnerable patient population with high rates of poverty (30%) and no health insurance (38%), all while becoming less reliant on philanthropic support. 2 In addition, as mentioned by Vervoort and colleagues and us previously, the CEDIMAT team's decision to proceed with a minimally invasive Glenn procedure was made for the patient's benefit in a setting where resources are limited and seeing follow-up patients is not guaranteed.…”

“…2 These cost-containment efforts have helped allow CEDIMAT to reach a rapidly increasing, vulnerable patient population with high rates of poverty (30%) and no health insurance (38%), all while becoming less reliant on philanthropic support. 2 In addition, as mentioned by Vervoort and colleagues and us previously, the CEDIMAT team's decision to proceed with a minimally invasive Glenn procedure was made for the patient's benefit in a setting where resources are limited and seeing follow-up patients is not guaranteed. 1,3 As long as such advancements adhere to medical ethics and are shown to be safe in randomized studies, the global CHD community should be firmly supportive of the innovators.…”