Clinical and surgical profile of adults with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac surgery at a Peruvian referral center

Roque R.R.; Huamani C.C.; Villa R.V.; Solano C.C.; Escate M.G.; López J.Q.; Huamán R.S.; Alarcón Á.A.; Custodio J.C.; Quispe J.V.; Carasas B.A.; Cachay E.P.; Yzú A.O.; Velarde V.J.R.; Robles M.H. · Archivos Peruanos de Cardiologia y Cirugia Cardiovascular (2026) · DOI: 10.47487/apcyccv.v7i2.597

Resumen

Objective: To describe the clinical and surgical profile and postoperative outcomes of adults with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac surgery at a national referral center in Peru. Materials and Methods: An observational, retrospective, descriptive study was conducted among adults with congenital heart disease who underwent cardiac surgery at a referral center in Perú between May 2022 and July 2025. Diagnoses and surgical procedures were classified according to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) anatomic categories, and perioperative risk was stratified using the PEACH (PErioperative ACHd Score). Results: A total of 117 patients were included, with a mean age of 40 ± 13.8 years; 70.1% were women. Most patients were classified as NYHA functional class II (74.4%), and the predominant diagnosis was septal defects (53.8%), mainly atrial septal defect (46.2%). According to the PEACH Score, 61.5% were categorized as low surgical risk. Primary surgeries accounted for 90.6% of cases; 88.0% of patients required multiple surgical corrections during the same procedure; cardiopulmonary bypass was used in 97.4% of cases. Postoperative mechanical ventilation time had a median of 19.4 hours (IQR: 13.0–25.3), with early extubation (6–24 hours) observed in 62.4% of patients. Prolonged intensive care unit stay (>7 days) occurred in 58.1% of cases. Arrhythmias were the most frequent postoperative complication (31.6%), mainly atrial fibrillation (12 %) and atrial flutter (9.4%). In-hospital mortality was 0.9%. Conclusions: Adults with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac surgery showed low in-hospital mortality.