Congenital heart defects treatment and diagnostics abroad

Congenital heart defects: treatment abroad

A congenital heart defect is a structural problem of the heart or the great vessels that forms before birth. It is one of the most common birth defects, affecting roughly 8–10 of every 1,000 newborns. Many defects are found before or soon after birth, while some cause no symptoms for years. Most need follow-up by a cardiologist or surgery.

Below are pediatric cardiac surgery clinics abroad: compare their capabilities, doctors and prices.

The most common heart defects in children

• Ventricular septal defect
• Atrial septal defect
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• patent ductus arteriosus, coarctation of the aorta, valve stenosis, transposition of the great arteries, single-ventricle defects.

Diagnosis

• Echocardiography (including fetal echo before birth) and Doppler — the main method;
• ECG and pulse oximetry;
• cardiac MRI or CT — for complex anatomy;
• cardiac catheterization and angiography — when needed.

Types of surgery for heart defects

• Catheter procedures — device closure of a defect, balloon valvuloplasty, atrial septostomy, angioplasty and stenting.
• Blalock–Taussig shunt — a connection between arteries to improve blood flow to the lungs.
• Pulmonary artery banding — narrowing the artery to protect the lungs from overload.
• Fontan procedure — circulation correction for single-ventricle defects.
• Ross procedure — replacing a diseased aortic valve with the patient's own pulmonary valve.
• Complete open-heart repair — patch closure of defects, valve and vessel reconstruction.

Where to treat a child's heart defect

The catalogue includes pediatric cardiac surgery departments in Spain, Germany, Turkey and Israel, including Nord Klinik Allianz and Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov). The cost depends on the defect, the type of surgery and the length of the intensive care stay; the clinic gives an exact estimate after reviewing the echo.

Send a request with the echocardiography report — Clinics Direct coordinators will get a pediatric cardiac surgeon's opinion and a cost estimate free of charge.