Long-term and developmental outcomes of children with complex congenital heart disease

As short-term survival of complex congenital heart disease continues to improve dramatically with advances in medical and surgical treatment, further efforts must be made to understand the long-term outcomes of our efforts. As survival continues to improve, cardiovascular morbidity and, equally importantly, neurodevelopmental and social outcomes must be a continual focus in our treatment of these complex patients. Further study of these effects is underway, and more is certainly warranted. Understanding should lead to modification of current techniques and management strategies, all with the ultimate goal of improving our patients' quality of life.