• A I Oyati, S S Danbauchi, E A Ameh, P M Mshelbwala, M A Anumah, G O Ogunrinde, J O Anyiam, and P C Azuh.
• Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria. oyatialbert@yahoo.com
• Ann Trop Paediatr. 2009 Mar 1; 29 (1): 41-4.

BackgroundCongenital cardiac anomalies may co-exist with non-cardiac congenital malformations and, for those requiring surgical correction, there can be an anaesthetic risk.AimTo estimate the burden of congenital heart disease (CHD) in children with surgically correctable non-cardiac congenital malformations.Patients/MethodsRecords of 120 children aged between 1 week and 11 years [mean (SD) 0.6 (1.5) years] undergoing corrective surgery for non-cardiac congenital malformations were examined. Results of clinical cardiac examination and surgical and echocardiographic findings were analysed.ResultsCleft lip or palate was the commonest surgical anomaly (46, 38.3%), followed by ano-rectal malformation (32, 26.7%). Forty-two children (35.0%) had an abnormal echocardiographic scan. A cardiac abnormality was detected clinically and confirmed by echocardiography in ten patients (8.3%), which represents 24% of all the cardiac abnormalities. The commonest cardiac anomalies were atrial septal defect (ASD) (30 children, 25%), followed by ventricular septal defect (VSD) (seven children, 5.8%). The frequency of ASD was highest in children with a cleft lip or palate (14/46, 30.4%).ConclusionsOver one-third of patients undergoing surgical correction of congenital malformations have co-existing CHD. Echocardiography is important for pre-surgical evaluation. No association between type of CHD and specific non-cardiac congenital malformations was found.

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