Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center
Expert care for adult congenital heart disease
Living with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) requires specialized care. Penn Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have joined forces to create the Philadelphia Adult Congenital Heart Center. Whether you’re transitioning from pediatric care, managing chronic conditions, or planning for pregnancy, our team is here to support you.
You’ll find a team of specialists, each with expertise in an area of cardiovascular care, such as structural heart disease, heart rhythm problems, and heart failure. We also focus on education and counseling so you can feel empowered to manage your health and navigate the unique challenges associated with living with congenital heart disease in your adult life.
As the region’s only adult congenital heart center, we’ve helped thousands of patients from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and beyond. Being part of two nationally ranked academic medical centers allows us to deliver world-class care.
Individualized treatment and management of ACHD
At the Adult Congenital Heart Center, our mission is to deliver state-of-the-art care to ensure you thrive and live to your fullest potential.
Some heart defects require surgical repair during childhood, while others may not need to be fixed until adulthood. In some cases, surgery may never be necessary. Because no two people are the same, we work with you to develop a treatment strategy appropriate for your unique needs.
For some patients with ACHD, a strategy of watchful waiting may be appropriate. If your condition doesn’t cause problems, you may just need regular checkups and imaging. We offer a range of tests such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cardiac computed tomography (CT) scans. These imaging tests allow our specialists to closely monitor your heart for any changes so they can be detected early, when treatment is most effective.
In addition to surgical and procedural interventions, medications can play a crucial role in managing ACHD. If you’re experiencing symptoms such as abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), our specialists may prescribe medications tailored to your specific heart defect.
For people with irregular heart rhythms, implantable devices can help restore a normal heartbeat and improve quality of life. Our specialists can implant pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to regulate your heartbeat and ease your symptoms.
For many congenital heart and valve defects, our interventional cardiologists offer minimally invasive procedures to correct defects without the need for open-heart surgery. These procedures include:
When minimally invasive approaches aren’t sufficient, our team performs open-heart surgery to repair adult congenital heart defects. We treat a range of conditions, including:
- Anomalous pulmonary venous return (APVR)
- Bicuspid aortic valve
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Ventricular septal defect
For high-risk patients requiring advanced heart failure therapy, our doctors use extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to support the heart and lungs in life-threatening situations. ECMO is also used to support the heart and lungs as people wait for ventricular assist devices (VADs) or heart transplants.
When other treatments for heart failure are unsuccessful, your doctor may recommend a late-stage congenital heart treatment such as heart transplantation surgery. We have experience evaluating high-risk patients and providing heart transplants—even when other centers say surgery isn’t an option.
Treating adult congenital heart disease
We specialize in treating ACHD with minimally invasive repair procedures whenever possible. Depending on your needs, your care team may recommend one or more treatments.
ACHA accredited Comprehensive Care Center
The Adult Congenital Heart Center has received accreditation from the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) for our exceptional care of adults with CHD. ACHA is a Philadelphia-based organization dedicated to connecting patients, families, and healthcare providers to create a supportive community and network of CHD experts.
Family planning and pregnancy care
If you’re thinking about starting a family, we have the specialized knowledge and experience to guide you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring adoption, surrogacy, or biological pregnancy, we’re here to help you make informed decisions that are right for you.
For those who become pregnant, we work closely with high-risk pregnancy care experts to provide the best care throughout your journey. We’ve supported hundreds of people with ACHD through pregnancy, labor, and delivery, helping them successfully start their families—and we’re here to do the same for you.
Related articles
Patient stories
Father and son undergo aortic repairs a year apart
A father and son share a genetic heart condition called bicuspid aortic valve and had successful surgeries at Penn Medicine a year apart.
A hole in the heart repaired
After a heart attack, Vilma Patel's family brought her from India to Lancaster for lifesaving VSD repair.
A skipped heartbeat reveals a silent and serious heart risk
A healthy, active man was alarmed to notice his heart was skipping a beat, revealing a thoracic aortic aneurysm and a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV).