Surgical Management for Advanced Heart Failure in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) have emerged as a new patient population that poses a variety of treatment and management obstacles. This chapter discusses the diagnosis of heart failure and treatment challenges faced by ACHD specifically addressing when to initiate mechanical circulatory support versus heart transplantation. It is evident that the ACHD population presents with a variety of unique challenges and considerations that still need to be explored. Addressing each of these issues will vastly change and improve how ACHD patients are approached from a treatment standpoint and ultimately provide more advantageous clinical options that can successfully handle the complexities presented by this population.