Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Malad

Congenital heart disease is a structural problem of the heart that is present from birth, involving the chambers, valves, the dividing wall, or the large blood vessels. Some small defects close without treatment, while complex ones need staged surgical correction. CritiCare Asia Hospitals is a heart hospital in Mumbai where children, young adults, and older patients living with CHD are cared for by one connected team. This care begins before birth and continues for life. Families seeking congenital heart disease treatment in Malad, Mumbai can have fetal screening, children's cardiology and adult follow-up planned together.

Symptoms: Infancy Through Adulthood

In newborns and young children, parents may notice:

A bluish tinge on the lips or fingertips
Laboured breathing
Poor feeding or sweating during feeds
Slow weight gain

Milder defects can stay hidden for decades. When CHD is first diagnosed in an adult, it is called Grown-Up Congenital Heart Disease (GUCH), and it may appear as breathlessness on exertion, palpitations or fatigue out of proportion to age and fitness. The best cardiologist in Malad, Mumbai at CritiCare Asia Hospitals evaluates these symptoms for patients of all ages.

Care That Grows with the Family

A child diagnosed with CHD needs a hospital that can stay with the family through school years, adolescence, and adulthood. Parents are included in every decision, and a young adult moving from children's care to adult care stays within the same department.

What Congenital Heart Disease Means

CHD forms during the first eight weeks of pregnancy, when the heart's chambers, valves and vessels take shape. A disruption at this point, genetic, environmental or unexplained, can leave a hole in the septum, a narrowed valve or a vessel connected out of sequence. Severity ranges widely, from defects that never cause symptoms to those that affect circulation at birth.

Common Types of Congenital Heart Disease

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
an opening between the heart's upper chambers
Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)
an opening between the lower chambers
Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
a fetal blood vessel that does not close after birth
Tetralogy of Fallot
four defects together reducing oxygen delivery to the body
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
a valve with two leaflets instead of three, prone to narrowing or leakage

Fetal Cardiology and Prenatal Detection

Fetal echocardiography can identify many defects before birth. It is typically done between the 18th and 24th week for mothers at higher risk, because of family history, maternal diabetes, or findings on a routine anomaly scan. Early detection allows delivery at a centre prepared for immediate newborn cardiac care. Our cardiac specialists in Malad, Mumbai work with families on this planning.

Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Disease

Echocardiography
visualises chamber and valve structure
Cardiac MRI or CT
detailed mapping, particularly in complex defects
Cardiac catheterisation
measures pressure and oxygen levels in the chambers
ECG and pulse oximetry
supporting baseline assessments

Why Timing Matters

Tetralogy of Fallot is a typical example of a defect corrected in infancy, since delay risks irreversible strain on the heart or lungs. Small septal defects with minimal effect are deliberately observed into later childhood or adulthood, as many close spontaneously and intervention carries risks of its own. Defect type, symptom progression and periodic imaging decide timing, not age alone.

Life After Congenital Heart Surgery

Most children with a corrected CHD grow, attend school and take part in sports with few restrictions, as guided by their cardiologist. Long-term follow-up remains standard, because some repairs carry a risk of rhythm disturbances or valve changes later. Continuity through our cardiac rehabilitation and electrophysiology services therefore matters even years after surgery. Women with corrected or uncorrected CHD planning a pregnancy should have a preconception cardiac evaluation.

Treatment Options for Congenital Heart Disease

Not every CHD diagnosis needs intervention. Small ASDs or VSDs are often monitored with periodic echocardiography and closed only if they affect heart size or function. Where treatment is indicated, two pathways exist:

Catheter-based device closure for suitable ASD, VSD, and PDA cases
Open-heart surgical correction for complex defects such as Tetralogy of Fallot

Anatomy, size, and the patient's age at diagnosis guide the choice. Our best cardiac surgeons in Malad, Mumbai manage diagnosis and surgery in infants, children, and adults.