23 September 2011
Professor Francis Fontan MD, honorary professor of cardiac surgery at the University of Bordeaux, developed the technique, known as the Fontan Procedure, for children with complex congenital heart defects.
Professor Fontan said: "I am one of the fortunate cardiac surgeons who had the chance to know the activity and the surgeons at Royal Brompton Hospital for decades, since the 1970s. I cannot imagine that this department could threaten to disappear. The international community of paediatric cardiologists and paediatric cardiac surgeons, indebted to Brompton, could not understand such a disappearing.
"The remarkable work and tuition coming from Royal Brompton, including those delivered year after year in the setting of the annual meeting of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, have made of “The Brompton” in its departments of paediatric cardiology and paediatric cardiac surgery the typical English institution, a reference for everyone all around the world."
His comments come in the wake of proposals to close Royal Brompton’s children’s cardiac surgery services by a Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT) as part of the Safe and Sustainable – A New Vision for Children's Congenital Heart Services in England review. This is despite the fact that Royal Brompton fulfils the JCPCT’s own criteria, with four surgeons undertaking over 400 procedures each year. It is the third largest centre for children’s heart surgery in the country, with very low mortality rates and an international reputation.
Professor Fontan, who is the founding father and first president of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, is not alone in his shock at the recommendations. A number of renowned consultants have written to voice their support of Royal Brompton’s world-class paediatric cardiac surgery services.
William G Stevenson MD, senior physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said: “I am distressed to hear that the congenital heart disease programme at Royal Brompton Hospital is under threat to be closed.
"This internationally recognised programme has long been a leader in the field and has made a series of contributions to the dramatic improvement in survival and outcomes of patients with congenital heart disease.
"It seems particularly unfortunate, coming at a time when the large number of patients surviving to adult age with congenital heart disease. We all recognise that centralised care in specialised centres is needed to provide optimal care of these patients and continue the research that is needed to continue to advance their care and keep them out of the hospital. These efforts would be seriously adversely affected by the loss of the Royal Brompton programme.
"I sincerely hope that it will not be lost to the world."
Eduardo da Cruz MD, who is a professor of paediatrics, paediatric cardiology and intensive care, head of the paediatric cardiac critical care programme and the director of both the cardiac intensive care unit and cardiac progressive care unit at the University of Colorado at Denver, School of Medicine, stated:
"The impact of this measure in the British population of children with congenital or acquired cardiac disease as well as adults with congenital heart disease (with which this centre is also a reference with the highest standards of care) would be extremely negative and regrettable."
Read the full comments from each of these eminent professors and more specialists from around the world.
Read comments from our consultants about the review.
