OKAYAMA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

What is The Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center?

Thanks to advances in medical care, many patients with congenital heart disease (CHD)—once considered difficult to treat—are now living well into adulthood. In Japan, there are now over 500,000 adults living with congenital heart disease (ACHD).Our center is dedicated to supporting these patients by addressing the wide range of challenges they face. Managing ACHD involves more than treating heart conditions alone. It often requires comprehensive care for other organs such as the liver and kidneys, and for women, it includes specialized support during pregnancy and childbirth.As a hub for ACHD care, our center provides a multidisciplinary approach in collaboration with various clinical departments within the university hospital. We also play a key role in facilitating a smooth transition from pediatric to adult care. In addition, we offer reevaluation for patients who have been lost to follow-up, consider indications for reoperations, and manage newly diagnosed heart conditions.Serving as a regional referral center in western Japan, we work closely with other medical institutions to deliver seamless and specialized care. Our center is also a leading facility for transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO), a condition closely associated with stroke and migraine.