Congenital heart defect corrective surgery

Alternative names:

ASD repair; atrial septal defect repair; coarctation of the aorta repair; heart surgery for children; hypoplastic left heart repair; patent ductus arteriosus ligation; PDA ligation; tetralogy of fallot repair; total anomalous pulmonary artery correction; transposition of great vessels repair; tricuspid atresia repair; truncus arteriosus repair; ventricular septal defect repair; VSD repair

Risks:

Risks for any anesthesia are:

• reactions to medications
• problems breathing

Risks for any surgery are:

• bleeding
• infection

Additional risks of heart surgery include:

• blood clots (thrombus)
• air bubbles (air embolus)
• breathing problems
• heart beat problems (arrhythmias)
• lung infection (pneumonia)

Costs:
The costs of any surgery varies significantly between surgeons, medical facilities, and regions of the country. Patients who are younger, sicker, or need more extensive surgery will require more intensive and expensive treatment.

Surgery charges can be separated into five parts: 1) the surgeon's fee, 2) the anesthesiologist's fee, 3) the hospital charges, which includes nursing care and the operating room, 4) the medications, and 5) additional charges.

1. Surgeon's fee: averages $2,000 to $5,000
2. Anesthesiologist's fee: averages $350 to $400 per hour
3. Hospital charges: basic rate averages $1,500 to $1,800 per day (more for the intensive care unit (ICU) or private rooms)
4. Medication charges: $200 to $400 or more
5. Additional charges: assisting surgeon, treatment of complications, diagnostic procedures (such as blood or Xray exams), medical supplies, or equipment use.

Insurance coverage for surgery expenses depends on many factors and should be explored for each individual instance.