Tuesday, November 18, 2008

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Indications

The type and timing of surgical repair depends on the child's condition and the type and severity of heart defects.

In general, symptoms that indicate that surgery is needed are:

• difficulty breathing because the lungs are wet, congested, or fluid-filled (congestive heart failure)
• problems with heart rate or rhythm (arrhythmias)
• excessive work load on heart that interferes with breathing, feeding, or sleeping

Review Date: 6/27/2006
Reviewed By: Anne J. L. Chun, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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