Congenital heart disease is a condition that happens when the heart doesn’t develop properly before birth. People are born with structural differences in the heart that affect how it works. There are many types of congenital heart disease—and we treat them all with skill and compassion.
Our adult congenital heart disease team includes experts in every cardiovascular disease. Together, they create detailed treatment plans unique to each person. This collaboration helps adults with congenital heart disease live long, fulfilling lives.
Adult Congenital Heart Disease Treatment: Why Choose Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health?
Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) requires varying levels of lifelong care. While some people only need regular checkups, others may require procedures to repair defects and treat other complications.
In our 18 subspecialty heart clinics, we bring together groups of providers who offer special expertise in an area of cardiovascular care. These areas include structural heart disease, heart rhythm problems and heart failure. Our large number of clinics ensures we have the knowledge and experience to care for your needs as they change over time.
We also offer:
- ACHD expertise: Your team includes specialists from The Heart Group of Lancaster General Health. The Heart Group is a nationally recognized medical practice delivering and advancing quality ACHD care. Heart Group doctors team up with surgeons from the Lancaster General Health Physicians Cardiothoracic Surgery group. This group is a regional leader in cardiovascular surgery and delivers outstanding outcomes. Together, we provide complete care that improves your quality of life.
- Academic-level care in a community setting: Academic medical centers offer comprehensive heart services, train the next generation of doctors and provide access to the latest breakthroughs. The focus of community health centers is caring for patients. They also offer lower costs and easier access to care. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health offers the best of both worlds.
- Convenience: You don’t have to leave the Lancaster area to have all your needs met. Our Heart & Vascular Institute is a full-service heart care provider with locations throughout Central Pennsylvania. We are also the only hospital in Lancaster County providing lifesaving care for the sickest patients. This care includes surgeons on-site 24/7 and ECMO, a type of mechanical circulatory support. No matter what you need and when, you can get it close to home.
- Minimally invasive repair procedures: Our interventional cardiology team includes doctors skilled in minimally invasive atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) closures. These procedures repair ASDs and PFOs without open heart surgery. We are the only hospital in Lancaster County doing them.
Specialized Care for Adult Congenital Heart Disease
Think of our 18 subspecialty heart clinics like different parts of one body. While each has a specific area of expertise and skillset, they work as one to provide seamless care. You may receive care in more than one of these clinics, but it won’t feel that way.
Your specialists communicate in real time about your needs. They also share one electronic health record to keep track of your care. We coordinate your visits to save you time, energy and stress.
Learn more about the care we provide:
Our ACHD Treatments
Some heart defects require surgical repair during childhood. Others don’t need to be fixed until adulthood. Some never need surgery. Because no two people are the same, we tailor treatments to your health, anatomy and lifestyle.
Your treatment may involve:
Watchful Waiting
If the condition doesn’t cause problems, you may just need regular checkups and imaging. These visits help doctors notice any heart changes early, when they’re most treatable. Heart tests may include:
Medication
You may need to take medications that help your heart work better. Medication can also prevent blood clots or correct an irregular heartbeat.
Implantable Devices
Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) help control irregular heart rhythms. They can also ease your symptoms.
Minimally Invasive Procedures
Interventional cardiologists can repair some congenital defects using long, thin tubes called catheters. Instead of opening the chest, we thread the catheter through a blood vessel up to the heart. The catheter enters the vessel via a tiny incision usually in the groin.
Minimally invasive procedures lead to:
- Less blood loss
- Lower risks for complications
- Minimal or no scarring
- Shorter, easier recoveries
We offer the full range of minimally invasive repair procedures, including:
- ASD Closures: ASD closures implant a device that closes a hole between the heart’s right and left chambers (atria). ASD closure can prevent right-sided heart failure and heart rhythm problems.
- PFO Treatments: Everyone has a hole between the left and right atria before birth. When this hole doesn’t close after you’re born, it’s called a PFO. Doctors can treat PFOs using heart catheterization. We also perform PFO closures to prevent blood clots from traveling through it to the brain.
Adult Congenital Heart Surgery
If we can’t repair the heart defect using minimally invasive approaches, we can perform open adult congenital heart surgery. We repair adult congenital heart diseases, including:
- Anomalous pulmonary venous return (APVR)
- Atrial septal defect
- Bicuspid aortic valve
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Patent foramen ovale
- Ventricular septal defect
Contact Us
To schedule an ACHD treatment consultation, call 717-544-8300.