Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 12, 2026 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
Thailand Hospital News: Every year on February 14th, the world marks World Congenital Heart Disease Day, shining a spotlight on a condition that begins at birth but often lasts a lifetime. Congenital heart disease is not a brief medical episode. For many patients, it is a lifelong journey filled with surgeries, hospital visits, new technologies, and evolving health challenges. At the center of this journey in Thailand stands Ramathibodi Hospital, where a dedicated team has built a system designed to care for these patients from infancy to adulthood and beyond.
A dedicated multidisciplinary team at Ramathibodi Hospital provides lifelong specialized care for adults living with congenital heart disease.
Image Credit: Ramathibodi Hospital
This
Thailand Hospital News report explores how the Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, has transformed the way congenital heart disease is managed, especially for adults who once had little structured support after surviving childhood.
From Once Fatal to Lifelong Survival
Decades ago, many babies born with complex heart defects did not survive. Today, thanks to medical advances in pediatric cardiology and heart surgery, most children with congenital heart disease can grow up and live into adulthood. However, survival does not mean cure.
Professor Alisa Limsuwan, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist at the Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, explains that surgery for congenital heart disease is usually a repair, not a complete restoration. The heart may function much better after surgery, but it still carries scars and structural changes. As patients age, these repaired hearts can develop new problems.
According to Professor Alisa, adult patients often face a double burden. They live with the long-term effects of their original heart condition and repair, while also developing common adult illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or coronary artery disease. This combination creates what she describes as an extremely complex heart.
Recognizing this growing population of adult survivors, she spearheaded the creation of the Center of Excellence for Adult Congenital Heart Disease at Ramathibodi Hospital. The goal was clear: provide structured, lifelong, specialized care rather than leaving patients to navigate the healthcare system alone once they outgrow pediatric services.
An Orchestra of Specialists
Caring for adults with congenital heart disease requires more than a single expert. It demands teamwork across disciplines.
Associate Professor Dr. Piya Samanakatiwat, a thoracic surgeon specializing in congenital heart disease and a co-founder of the center, emphasizes that no single doctor
can master every aspect of these complex cases. Each patient may require input from pediatric cardiologists, adult cardiologists, interventional specialists, cardiac surgeons, imaging experts, specialized nurses, and rehabilitation teams.
Treatment decisions are made through collaborative meetings. These discussions evaluate not only the patient’s current heart structure and function, but also their life stage, work responsibilities, family plans, and long-term risks. The team focuses not only on survival but on quality of life.
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Healthcare professionals
at Ramathibodi Hospital providing support for congenital heart disease patients
Image Credit: Ramathibodi Hospital
This integrated approach ensures that treatment is tailored to the individual, whether the patient is a young adult starting a career, a woman planning pregnancy, or a middle-aged patient facing new complications decades after childhood surgery.
Reducing Repeat Surgeries with Modern Technology
One of the most significant breakthroughs at the center involves patients with pulmonary valve problems, a common issue in certain congenital heart defects.
In the past, when a surgically repaired valve deteriorated, patients often needed another open-heart operation. Some underwent three or four major surgeries over their lifetime. Each operation carried higher risks due to scar tissue and previous interventions.
Dr. Man Chantawimol, a specialist in Interventional Cardiology at Ramathibodi Hospital, explains that for more than 10 years the center has offered Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement. This procedure allows doctors to insert a new artificial valve through a blood vessel without opening the chest or stopping the heart.
The benefits are significant. Recovery is faster, hospital stays are shorter, and the physical trauma of repeat open heart surgery is avoided. Many patients can return home within a few days. Importantly, this approach reduces the cumulative surgical burden over a lifetime, which is critical for adults who may already have undergone multiple operations.
Closing the Dangerous Transition Gap
A major challenge worldwide is the transition from pediatric to adult care. Many patients are lost to follow up during their teenage years or early adulthood.
Associate Professor Dr. Tarinee Tangcharoen, Head of the Center of Excellence for Congenital Heart Disease in Adults at Ramathibodi Hospital, notes that the problem often lies within the healthcare system itself. Adult cardiology clinics may not be equipped to handle complex congenital cases, while pediatric clinics are not designed to treat adults.
As a result, patients may move between hospitals without continuity of care. Some change insurance plans. Others relocate for work. Many return to medical attention only when their condition has worsened significantly.
The ACHD Center at Ramathibodi was designed specifically to prevent this dropout. It provides a structured pathway that ensures patients remain under expert supervision throughout their lives. The center maintains detailed records, coordinates multidisciplinary consultations, and actively tracks follow up appointments.
Training the Next Generation
Beyond patient care, the center also serves as a training ground for new physicians. Cardiologists, pediatricians, and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals gain hands on experience managing adult congenital heart disease. This ensures that expertise is not limited to a small group of senior doctors but continues to grow within Thailand’s medical community.
Through structured training and real-world case discussions, young doctors learn both the technical skills and the collaborative decision making required for these complex patients.
Ensuring Equal Access to Care
Despite advances in technology, access remains a pressing issue. Many adult congenital heart disease patients face long term treatment costs. Some require expensive devices, specialized imaging, or lifelong medication.
The medical team at Ramathibodi Hospital stresses that treatment decisions should be based on medical appropriateness, not financial limitations. To support underprivileged patients, the Ramathibodi Foundation has established a dedicated fund under the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center.
Donations to the foundation help cover medical expenses for patients who might otherwise struggle to access advanced therapies. The initiative reflects the hospital’s belief that the melody of life should not be determined by social or economic status.
Those who wishing to donate to helping underprivileged adults with congenital heart disease can support their medical expenses through the Ramathibodi Foundation, account number 026-305216-3, Siam Commercial Bank, under the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center Fund, fund code 3225010008.
These donations will be used to help underprivileged patients access appropriate treatment. Donations are tax-deductible at double the amount given. Please send proof of transfer and required information to the Ramathibodi Foundation.
A Lifelong Commitment to Complex Hearts
The establishment of the Center of Excellence for Adult Congenital Heart Disease at Ramathibodi Hospital represents a major step forward in Thailand’s healthcare landscape. It acknowledges that congenital heart disease does not end in childhood and that survivors require highly specialized, lifelong monitoring and intervention. By integrating pediatric and adult cardiology expertise, embracing innovative minimally invasive technologies, and building a system that prevents patients from being lost in transition, the center has created a sustainable model of care. Its commitment to training future specialists and ensuring equitable access further strengthens its impact. Ultimately, Ramathibodi Hospital is not only extending lives but improving the quality and dignity of those lives for thousands of patients who carry complex hearts into adulthood.
For more details, visit:
https://www.rama.mahidol.ac.th/
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