Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Lifelong Care for Congenital Heart Disease in Central Massachusetts and Beyond

If you’ve been managing a heart condition since birth, getting specialized care in adulthood can help you lead a fuller, healthier life. The Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at UMass Memorial Health offers the expertise, support and advanced treatments you need. 

Our cardiologists have extensive experience caring for people who had complex heart surgeries in childhood, as well as adults seeking a diagnosis and treatment for the first time. We specialize in minimally invasive therapies, which can delay or eliminate the need for multiple open-heart surgeries during your lifetime. 

Adult Congenital Heart Diseases We Treat

We treat the most challenging types of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). 

• Atrial septal defect
• Bicuspid aortic valve
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
• Patent ductus arteriosus
• Patent foramen ovale
• Pulmonary atresia
• Pulmonary stenosis
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Transposition of the great arteries
• Tricuspid atresia
• Truncus arteriosus
• Ventricular septal defect

Diagnosing and Monitoring ACHD

People born with heart defects need monitoring and specialized care throughout their lives. We offer advanced diagnostic testing and cardiac imaging to make sure your condition doesn’t get worse. Our cardiologists also focus on detecting complications of ACHD, which can include heart valve disease, arrhythmia or heart failure, as early as possible. 

Our specialty programs and clinics make it easy for you to get care for any problems resulting from a congenital condition:

• Anticoagulation Clinic
• Heart Failure Program
• Heart Rhythm Disorder Program
• Heart Valve Disease Program
• Pulmonary Hypertension Program

Minimally Invasive Congenital Heart Disease Treatment

At UMass Memorial, we specialize in both surgical and catheter-guided procedures for congenital heart diseases. Heart surgeons, interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists work together to select the right treatment for your needs. Learn more about our interventional cardiology program. 

Our minimally invasive procedures for adult congenital heart disease include: 

• Alcohol septal ablation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickened heart muscle)
• Atrial septal defect (ASD) closure for a hole between the upper chambers of the heart
• Balloon valvuloplasty for pulmonary or aortic valve stenosis
• Catheter ablation for arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)
• Fontan repairs for single ventricle defects (heart has one working pump instead of two)
• Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure for an opening in the heart that doesn’t close after birth
• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for aortic stenosis (narrowed aortic valve)
• Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) for mitral valve regurgitation (leaky mitral valve)
• Ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure  for a hole between the lower chambers of the heart