Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery is a medical unit that deals with the surgical treatment of all cardiovascular diseases from the fetal period to the age of 18. Pediatric cardiology diagnoses and treats diseases in a multidisciplinary manner. Most of the diseases treated in pediatric cardiovascular surgery are congenital heart diseases. After the decision for surgical treatment is made, the patient is prepared for surgery and the treatment is applied.
What Procedures Are Performed in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery?
Before cardiovascular surgery in children, various tests and procedures are performed to diagnose and monitor the disease. These procedures can be listed as follows:
- Angiography and Cardiac Catheterization: Angiography and cardiac catheterization are imaging methods performed by releasing contrast material. In imaging performed with X-rays, information about the status of the vessels is obtained by observing where and at what pressure the contrast material reaches.
- Electrocardiography (ECG) of the Heart: The electrical activity of the heart is measured with the help of electrodes. This determines whether the heart is working as intended.
- Heart Graph (Telecardiography): In the heart graph, X-rays are taken from a certain distance and the position, size, heart chambers and vascular structure of the heart are obtained.
- Echocardiography (ECHO): Echocardiography is an ultrasound imaging method that can be applied from the womb onwards because it is performed with sound waves. With Color Doppler Echocardiography, the heart can be viewed in color and multi-dimensionally.
- Exercise Test: Exercise testing in children is a method usually applied after the age of 5. Because children under this age have difficulty performing an exercise test using a treadmill.
What Diseases Are Treated in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery?
Surgical treatment of cardiovascular diseases in children from newborn to 18 years of age is performed in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery. The most common diseases treated in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery can be listed as follows:
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: In hypoplastic left heart syndrome, there is a developmental delay in the structures on the left side of the heart. Early diagnosis is important and treatment of the disease requires surgical operations at certain intervals.
- Blue/Brown Baby Syndrome: Blue/brown baby syndromes are the most common diseases that occur as a result of dirty blood mixing with clean blood. Tetralogy of Fallot, one of the most common cyanotic heart diseases, is diagnosed with echocardiography and requires surgery.
- Ventricular and Atrioventricular Septal Defect: In babies with ventricular septal defect and atrioventricular septal defect, there is a hole between the walls of the heart. The disease, which is usually noticed with a murmur, is definitively diagnosed with echocardiography and angiography is performed if necessary. Since treatment will be applied according to the size of the hole, medium and large holes require surgery.
- Truncus Arteriosus: When only one major vessel comes out of the heart, it is called truncus arteriosus. A ventricular septal defect is also seen with the disease. It is one of the diseases that requires surgical treatment in the early stages of the baby’s health.
- Pulmonary and Tricuspid Atresia: Pulmonary atresia and tricuspid atresia are diseases that occur due to problems in the heart valves. Both diseases can be treated with various surgical methods.
- Aortic Coarctation: Narrowing of the aorta is called coarctation. It is a disease that can be treated with surgical methods.
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus: In Patent Ductus Arteriosus disease, there is a passage between the pulmonary artery and the aorta. The passage is treated by closing it with a surgical operation.
