Heart Transplantation for Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Overview and Special Considerations

With improvements in their surgical and medical management, the number of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) reaching adulthood has increased over the last decade. As the population of adult CHD patients continues to rise, an increasing number of these patients will require evaluation for heart transplantation. It is important to recognize advanced heart failure and other associated complications early in this cohort of complex patients for early referral to an adult CHD specialist. As these patients present with unique challenges because of their multiple comorbidities and complex anatomy, there needs to be a careful selection process for transplantation to optimize the utilization of donor organs.