Complex Congenital Heart Disease: Neurological And Developmental Sequela Through Early Childhood And Adolescence
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Correspondence
GIL Wernovsky, (MD), (FACC), (FAAP)Division of Pediatric cardiology THE Cardic Centre atThe Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia34th and Civic Center Boulevard. Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)E.mail:wernovsky@email.chop.edu
This article was originally published in December 2006, Volume 1, Issue 8 of Neonatology Today. Reprinted with permission from Neonatology Today. All rights reserved. http://www.NeonatologyToday.net.
As more children with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) survive into childhood and beyond, there is a growing recognition of neurological and developmental abnormalities in some of the survivors. Over a decade ago, much emphasis was placed on the conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass and its role in neurodevelopmental disabilities. Much has been learned in the intervening years regarding the multi-factorial causes of abnormal development in school age, in particular, the role of prenatal, perioperative, socioeconomic and genetic influences. This review will highlight some of the recent advances in our understanding of the protean causes of neurological, behavioral and developmental abnormalities in children and young adults with complex forms of congenital heart disease, which in many ways is remarkably similar to that seen in survivors of prematurity.