Adult Congenital Heart Service

Connecticut Children’s cardiologists are experts at treating patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). We specialize in the complex anatomy and heart function of ACHD. Through our Pediatric Care Alliance with Hartford HealthCare, we collaborate with Hartford Hospital to offer comprehensive diagnostics, lifestyle counseling, medical management and interventional and surgical treatment for the full spectrum of conditions related to ACHD. 
 

What Is Adult Congenital Heart Disease?

Advances in medical and surgical care help most children born with serious congenital heart defects survive long into adulthood. When it comes time for a patient with a congenital heart defect to transition from a pediatric cardiologist to an adult cardiologist, it can be difficult to find a doctor who understands their unique anatomy and typical complications that may occur.

Connecticut Children’s multidisciplinary team of adult congenital cardiologists, in collaboration with nephrologists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, pulmonologists and other internal medicine specialists, offer a full-range of inpatient and outpatient clinical services to adults with congenital heart disease, from diagnosis to cardiac catheterization and surgical repair.
 

Specialized, Award-Winning Care

• Connecticut Children’s is proud to be the first ACHD Accredited Comprehensive Care Center in Connecticut. This designation comes from the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA).
• Our heart surgery program consistently outperforms national average morbidity, mortality and length of stay, according to the most recent data from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).
• Zero X-ray ablation of cardiac arrhythmias
• X-ray exposure below national average for cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology studies
   

Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Services

• Heart failure management
• Catheter-based congenital heart disease interventions
• Adult congenital heart disease arrhythmia management, including state-of-the-art catheter ablations, pacemaker/AICD implant and management
• Heart transplant program in partnership with Hartford Hospital
• Congenital echocardiography and cardiac MRI
• Comprehensive management of pulmonary hypertension
• Cardio-pulmonary exercise physiology laboratory
• Outpatient clinical management
   

Referrals 

If you're a referring provider, please review our referral guideline for information on when to refer, how to refer, and what to expect. 

View Guideline  

Bethany’s Story

Bethany was born with Aortic Valve Stenosis, a condition that restricts the flow of blood from the heart to the body. In adulthood, Bethany remains a patient of Shailendra Upadhyay, MD, CEPS, FHRS, medical director of pediatric cardiology at Connecticut Children’s.