Recent Surgical Outcomes of Congenital Heart Disease according to Korea Heart Foundation Data

Abstract

Background and objectives: This study presents an update of the surgical outcomes of congenital heart disease (CHD) according to Korea Heart Foundation (KHF) data.

Methods: We investigated the data of the 7,305 patients who were economically supported by KHF in 2000-2014. Of them, we analyzed surgical outcomes of the 6,599 patients who underwent CHD surgery.

Results: The median patient age was 1.9 years (range, 0-71.5 years). Of the 6,599 patients, 5,616 (85.1%) underwent biventricular repair and 983 (14.9%) underwent palliative procedures. The mean Basic Aristotle Score was 6.6±2.2. A complex procedure (defined as Basic Aristotle Score above 6) was performed in 3,368 patients (51.0%). The early mortality rate was 3.8%, while the late mortality rate was 1.8%. Previous reports of the KHF (1984-1999) showed that the early surgical and late mortality rates were 8.6%, and 5.3%, respectively. There were 491 neonates (7.4%); among them, the early mortality rate was 12.2% and late mortality rate was 3.7%. There were 2,617 infants (40.0%); among them, the early mortality rate was 6.0% and the late mortality rate was 2.3%. A total of 591 patients from 30 countries were helped by the KHF.

Conclusions: More neonatal surgeries (491 vs. 74 patients) were performed than those in the past (1984-1999). The surgical outcomes were much better than before. Our surgical outcomes revealed that the Republic of Korea has been transformed from a country receiving help to a country that helps other low socioeconomic status countries.