Viera Vršanská
The incidence of congenital heart disease (CHD) in Slovakia is similar to other countries (0,70 - 0,89 %). About 450 children with CHD per year are born in Slovakia, 300 of which need cardiac surgery. Together with reoperations and staged reconstruction of complex anomalies, about 450 operations a year will be necessary. 85 % of the operated children (255 per year) survive until adulthood. Half of them (about 130) will require lifelong follow-up and a quarter (65) intensive care including reoperations in a specialized center. Our Pediatric Cardiocenter currently provides all types of noninvasive and invasive diagnostic procedures, interventional treatment as well as heart surgery including heart transplantation on a level comparable with developed countries. Maintaining this high level service requires positive and constructive cooperation of all involved.
Keywords: congenital heart disease, cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology