Our Approach

Clinicians at the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program provide personalized, lifelong care for adolescent and adult patients with the entire spectrum of congenital heart disease, including, but not limited to:

• Aortic valve stenosis
• Atrial septal defect
• Bicuspid aortic valve
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Complex congenital heart disease
• Congenital coronary anomalies
• Dextrocardia
• Ebstein’s Anomaly
• Eisenmenger Syndrome
• Fontan circulation
• Patent ductus arteriosus
• Pulmonic stenosis
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Transposition of the great arteries
• Ventricular septal defect

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Treating Congenital Heart Disease

Patients and their families are guided through every aspect of management, from the initial encounter and review of prior history, through diagnostic and interventional procedures, while emphasizing continuity of care and long-term follow up. Our physicians are focused exclusively on treating congenital heart disease in adults and work with specialists from multiple clinical disciplines to provide care from many different perspectives, including:

• Cardiac genetics
• Cardiac imaging
• Cardiac and thoracic surgery
• Electrophysiology
• Heart failure and transplantation
• Hematology
• Interventional cardiology
• Neurology
• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Pulmonary care

Our specialists care for adolescents and adults with congenital heart disease and value open and ongoing communication with referring pediatricians, internists and primary cardiologists. We also emphasize patient education and self advocacy to help patients transition from pediatric, through adolescent to adult care.

Diagnosing Congenital Heart Disease

To diagnose congenital heart disease, it is important to have a clear image of a patient’s anatomy. The Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program includes full-time, board-certified cardiac imaging specialists who are specially trained to detect heart defects and whose practice focuses specifically on congenital heart disease.

Depending on the patient, we may use one or more of these diagnostic techniques to examine the heart’s anatomy and function:

• Cardiac MRI
• Cardiac CT
• Echocardiography, including transephageal, transthoracic and 3D
• CT guidance during electrophysiologic procedures
• Diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization

Treating Congenital Heart Disease

Both outpatient and inpatient care are closely supervised by the same dedicated physicians in the personalized manner that has been the tradition and style of excellence that characterizes Mass General.

Helping Patients Live Full, Healthy Lives

Our goal is to repair and manage congenital heart conditions so that patients live full, healthy lives. Our specialists take a holistic approach to care and are available to:

• Answer your questions. Patients with congenital heart disease often have questions relating to work, education, sports participation, marriage, pregnancy, childrearing, and whether their condition affects lifestyle decisions
• Guide patients through lifestyle changes. Preventive care is central to the treatment process. We often guide patients through dietary changes and weight management, and may refer them to cardiac rehabilitation specialists to help manage their condition

Minimally Invasive Treatments

For some patients, we use an interventional transcatheter approach to offer minimally invasive procedures that result in small incisions in the skin, rather than open heart surgery. Our interventional cardiologists treat congenital heart conditions, including but not limited to septal defects, coarctation of aorta, pulmonary branch stenoses and perform pulmonic vein replacement.

Surgical Interventions

Our dedicated surgical team specializes in adult congenital heart surgical procedures, including primary operations and reoperations. We are experienced in both simple and complex congenital heart surgeries, including:

• Fontan operation and revision
• Surgical closure of atrial septal defect
• Surgical repair of coartation of the aorta
• Surgical repair of Ebstein’s anomaly
• Pulmonary valve replacement
• Surgical repair of coronary artery anomalies
• Tetralogy of Fallot repair or reoperation
• Valve sparing aortic root surgery
• Conduit revision
• Congenital valve repair or replacement (tricuspid, mitral, aortic)

Ongoing Support for Patients

Teens and young adults with congenital heart disease receive ongoing support that helps them shift from pediatric to adult-based health care. Adolescents and young adults also receive peer support from patients who have similar conditions.

About This Program Advances in medicine allow babies and children with congenital heart disease to live longer, healthier lives. As a result, more than one million adults in the United States are currently living with congenital heart disease, and this population is growing.

National Leaders in Treating Congenital Heart Disease

Since 1972 physicians at the Massachusetts General Hospital Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program have been leaders in treating congenital heart disease. Mass General was one of the first hospitals in the nation to provide specialized, ongoing, longitudinal care for adult congenital heart disease.

Access to the Latest Research and Clinical Trials

Physicians at the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program participate in research and clinical trials, allowing us to bring our patients promising new treatments as quickly as possible.

Timely Appointments

We strive to see patients in a timely fashion. Our dedicated support personnel are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm to take relevant information about your condition and symptoms and make a timely appointment with the most appropriate specialist.

To request an appointment, call our office directly at 617-726-8510 or complete our online appointment form.

Conditions and Diseases

The care team at the Corrigan Minehan Heart Center encourages all patients and family members to learn more about conditions and diseases that affect the heart and overall cardiovascular system. The links below provide more information about heart conditions and diseases that might be treated within this program.

Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy Pregnancy can expose a woman's body to dramatic changes in the cardiovascular system, especially when there is a pre-existing heart condition. Our doctors and staff provide individualized care and treatment plans for patients before, during and after pregnancy. Learn more about our Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy Service in the Corrigan Women's Heart Health Program

Congenital Heart Defects

Congenital heart defects occur when the heart or related blood vessels do not develop properly before or at birth.

Support and Wellness

Mass General is dedicated to ensuring that people understand their health care choices and have the necessary information to make decisions affecting their health and well being. The related support and wellness information listed below can play a role in treatment options.

Patient Guide to Cardiac Surgery (PDF)

Learn what to expect before, during and after your surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center by downloading and printing our patient guide to cardiac surgery.

Understanding and Preparing for a Catheterization Procedure (PDF)

As you prepare for your catheterization, Massachusetts General Hospital clinicians want you to feel as comfortable as possible. To help you understand what to expect during your visit, this booklet describes key steps of your catheterization procedure.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cardiac Anesthesia

The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offers a patient guide to cardiac anesthesia. Our dedicated clinicians believe it is important for you to know what to expect before, during and after a cardiac anesthesia.

Visitor's Guide to Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac nurses at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offer support and guidance during a family member's open-heart surgery or transplantation.

Patient and Family Guide to the Heart Center (PDF)

Download our patient and family guide to the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center to learn about accommodations, visiting and parking, and patient discharge.

The following related clinical trials and research studies are currently seeking participants at Massachusetts General Hospital. Search for clinical trials and studies in another area of interest.

Heart valve surgery without opening the chest

The Heart Center has joined a clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of a novel therapy to replace heart valves using a minimally invasive, catheter-based approach.

Congenital heart patient champions women’s heart health

Debby Flaherty-Kizer has been living with Ebstein’s anomaly for more than 30 years, but that hasn’t prevented her from participating in triathlons and advocating for women’s heart health across the country.

Sisters with congenital heart disease don’t miss a beat

As infants, Madelyn and Samantha Kanter were diagnosed with atrial septal defect. Following intervention as teens, they came to the Mass General Heart Center to keep them healthy through their adult lives.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease & Heart Surgery

Over one million adults in the United States have adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), a condition that occurs when the heart or related blood vessels do not develop properly before or at birth.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease & Heart Surgery Recovery Process

For some adult congenital heart disease patients, heart surgery is needed. Patients often have questions about their condition, what the admission process is like, what to anticipate on the day of surgery and ask about expectations for their recovery process.

February Heart Month: Advances in Treating Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Throughout the month of February, our doctors and specialists in the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Heart, Vascular and Stroke Care will be sharing their expertise on various heart conditions and offering prevention tips in recognition of American Heart Month. Roughly one in every four deaths in the U.S. each year is due to heart disease, making it the leading cause of death for Americans.

Patient Guide to Cardiac Surgery (PDF)

Learn what to expect before, during and after your surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center by downloading and printing our patient guide to cardiac surgery.

Understanding and Preparing for a Catheterization Procedure (PDF)

As you prepare for your catheterization, Massachusetts General Hospital clinicians want you to feel as comfortable as possible. To help you understand what to expect during your visit, this booklet describes key steps of your catheterization procedure.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cardiac Anesthesia

The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offers a patient guide to cardiac anesthesia. Our dedicated clinicians believe it is important for you to know what to expect before, during and after a cardiac anesthesia.

Visitor's Guide to Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac nurses at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offer support and guidance during a family member's open-heart surgery or transplantation.

Patient and Family Guide to the Heart Center (PDF)

Download our patient and family guide to the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center to learn about accommodations, visiting and parking, and patient discharge.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program

Phone: 617-726-8510
Fax: 617-643-6844
Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Public Transportation Access: yes
Disabled Access: yes

If you are a new patient, you may call the Corrigan Minehan Heart Center Access Office at 866-MGH-8910 or complete our online appointment form to request an appointment. A member of our access team will ask you more about your condition and symptoms, and match you with the best-fitting Corrigan Minehan Heart Center physician.