SYNOPSIS

The Australia and New Zealand Fontan Registry is the largest database of patients born with a single heart pumping chamber.  The Fontan Registry has already allowed us to demonstrate that survival is far better than expected. However, some of these children are still facing failure of their circulation. Some complex re-operations can be offered which effectively postpone their need for heart transplantation.  With more than 1300 of these patients in the region, we will see an increasing number of re-interventions. Are we providing adequate care to this population? Do they have equal access to treatment?  The Fontan Registry can provide these answers and identify the best model of care for these patients.

SPEAKERS

A/Prof Yves d’Udekem: Consultant cardiac surgeon in the Royal Children’s Hospital and senior researcher in the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. Yves has devoted his research career to the study of the long-term consequences of paediatric cardiac surgical procedures. He has founded and led the creation of the Australia and New Zealand Fontan Registry.

A/ Prof Christian Brizard:  Director of the Cardiac Surgery Unit in the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Dr Chin Poh: PhD student researching the indications for surgery in failing Fontan.

Dr William Shi: Cardiac surgery trainee completing a PhD focussed on heart failure in the setting of congenital heart disease.