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A multinational and multidisciplinary approach to treat CHD in paediatric age in Angola: initial experience of a medical-surgical centre for children with heart disease in Angola

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2017

Maria Ana S. Nunes ,
Manuel P. Magalhães ,
Miguel S. Uva ,
Patrícia Heitor ,
Ana Henriques ,
Valdano Manuel ,
Gade Miguel  and
António F. Júnior
Maria Ana S. Nunes*
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology Department, Portuguese Red Cross Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
Manuel P. Magalhães
Affiliation:
Cardiac Surgery Department, Portuguese Red Cross Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
Miguel S. Uva
Affiliation:
Cardiac Surgery Department, Portuguese Red Cross Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
Patrícia Heitor
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology Department, Portuguese Red Cross Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
Ana Henriques
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology Department, Portuguese Red Cross Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
Valdano Manuel
Affiliation:
Cardiac Surgery Departament, Clínica Girassol, Luanda, Angola
Gade Miguel
Affiliation:
Cardiac Surgery Departament, Clínica Girassol, Luanda, Angola
António F. Júnior
Affiliation:
Cardiac Surgery Departament, Clínica Girassol, Luanda, Angola
*
Correspondence to: M. A. Nunes, Hospital da Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, Rua Duarte Galvão, 54,1549-008 Lisboa, Portugal. Tel: +351217713511; Fax: +351217780671; E-mail: marianasn@hcvp.com.pt
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Abstract

Background

Epidemiological patterns of cardiac disease differ between developed countries and African nations. Despite the collaborative efforts of developed countries, several obstacles hinder the implementation of successful programmes for the management of children with heart disease in Africa.

Materials and methods

This study is a retrospective analysis of a bi-national two-institution partnership programme for the treatment of children with congenital and acquired heart disease. In April, 2011, a continuous medical-surgical programme was inaugurated at Clínica Girassol in Luanda. The main goals were to initiate permanent and local delivery of services while training local teams, allowing autonomous medical and surgical management of children with heart disease.

Results

Between April, 2011 and August, 2015, a total of 1766 procedures were performed on 1682 children. Of them, 1539 had CHD and 143 had acquired heart disease; 94 children underwent interventional treatment. A total of 1672 paediatric surgeries were performed on 1588 children: 1087 (65%) were performed with extracorporeal circulation and 585 (35%) were off-pump. The age distribution of the children was 4.5% (n=76) neonatal, 40.4% (n=675) between 30 days and 1 year, and 55.1% (n=921) over 1 year. There were 76 re-operations (4.5%) due to complications. The 30-day mortality rate was 4.2% (71 patients). Education-wise, several Angolan medical and surgical specialists were trained, allowing near-autonomous cardiac care delivery in children with heart disease.

Conclusion

An innovative cooperation model between a European and an African centre based on permanent delivery of care and education allowed for effective training of local teams and treatment of children with heart disease in their own environment.

Keywords

CHDpaediatric cardiology departmentSub-Saharan Africa
Type
Original Articles
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 27 , Issue 9 , November 2017 , pp. 1755 - 1763
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2017 

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