Pediatric cardiac surgery and safety,in the past and in the future

This article is about safety in treatment, mostly surgical, for congenital heart disease, with special reference to the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway. The different factors that influence the safety of doing a procedure for congenital heart disease (CHD) are discussed. In the past, early post procedural mortality was the measuring stick, but nowadays, the mortality is so low, that one needs a very large number to differentiate between groups of treatment. However, the safety of the procedures is still very important, but post procedural morbidity is now more in focus. More complex organizations and increasing demands of efficacy, together with regulations of working hours, will probably change the ways things will be done. It is also underlined that the passive factors (not human) are of increasing importance, and will require health administrators with a deep understanding of the complexity of CHD-treatment, to provide the tools needed. Some changes in education of both cardiologists and surgeons are needed, and also a more close cooperation between them is necessary, in the interest of our patients.