Risks associated with congenital heart surgery vary widely according to the specific procedure and the patient’s condition at the time of surgery. They can include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Need for re-operation
• Damage to nerves in the chest area
• Brain damage
• Death

Your surgeon will discuss the specific risks associated with your child’s congenital heart surgery at the time of your consult. In our program, the risk of serious complications occurring, such as brain damage or death, is very low. Our surgeons have a very large experience and can provide specific data to you defining the surgical risk for your particular procedure. We believe this important information must be shared with parents to make the process less stressful.