title: Follow-up and physical activity in postoperative congenital heart disease.
abstract: During the past three decades, interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery have found solutions even for the most complex congenital heart malformations with an overall low operative mortality. A careful clinical and instrumental follow-up of postoperative congenital heart disease patients is fundamental not only to prevent complications and/or to treat eventual residua and sequelae, but also to modify future surgical strategies on the basis of long-term results. To be able to give a correct prognostic meaning to the data collected during the follow-up, the cardiologist should have an excellent knowledge of the native defect, the surgical technique and the post-surgical anatomy and physiology. Major cardiological concerns during a follow-up after corrective surgery are: arrhythmias; heart failure; cyanosis and erythrocytosis; and infective endocarditis. Psychosocial needs, such as employment, contraception, pregnancy and physical exercise, are very important to enable a 'normal' life, complying with the postoperative hemodynamic situation of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, Presidio G.M. Lancisi, Ospedali Riuniti, Ancona, Italy. p.colonna@fastnet.it
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colonna
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manfrin
authors.forename: Moreno
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cecconi
authors.forename: Gian Piero
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Perna
authors.forename: Fernando Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Picchio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008134:Long-Term Care; D009043:Motor Activity; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017741:Survivors; D013577:Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome