Memorial Regional Hospital Establishes Adult Congenital Heart Program

A quiet “revolution” is taking place in the field of congenital cardiac care and Memorial Healthcare System (MHS) is responding with a comprehensive program to treat adults. Since an official Adult Congenital Heart Program was created this past summer at Memorial Regional Hospital, doctors are now caring for more adults than children. This follows a national trend that is stimulating talk about a fellowship requirement for congenital heart training.

“A lot of adult cardiac physicians aren’t comfortable caring for these patients and their unique needs,” explained Dr. Richard Perryman, Chief of Cardiac Surgery, MHS. “Memorial Healthcare System is well positioned to help them because we offer a wide range of experts who understand the medical issues associated with congenital patients of any age.”

In addition to Dr. Perryman and other Memorial cardiac surgeons, the Adult Congenital Heart Program includes care from interventional cardiologists, an electrophysiologist, internists, obstetricians/gynecologists and anesthesiologists.

As recently as 20 years ago, the goal of congenital heart treatment was merely survival of the tiniest babies, according to Perryman. Now, these babies are not only surviving but thriving and living long into adulthood. However, he points out, doctors have often given their congenital patients the impression that they have been “cured” by early intervention. Often that is not the case for the long term.

“As these patients age, arrhythmias, heart failure, cyanotic episodes and challenges during pregnancy often occur,” Dr. Perryman said. “They need to be followed to prevent them from having these complications.”