The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Congenital Heart Surgery Database report: Analysis of the first harvest (1994-1997)

This analysis summarizes the first report of the Society of Thoracic Surgeo ns National Congenital Heart Surgery Database Committee in association with Summit Medical Systems. Twenty-four centers joined the program at various dates of entry resulting in 18,894 enrolled patient records. This report co mpiled the relevant clinical features of 18 congenital heart categories ove r a 4-year period (1994-1997), which included 8,149 patient records. The da ta analyses are largely descriptive in character. Missing data points were described and not omitted in the analysis. Statistical analysis was not per formed due to missing data points in some categories. Certain trends, howev er, could be identified and are discussed. The first Society of Thoracic Su rgeons National Congenital Heart Surgery Database Report has succeeded in e stablishing a finite record that can be improved to establish universal nat ional and international utility, risk stratification, and scholarly outcome analyses. (C) 1999 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.