Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Programme

In Singapore, Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) affects about 0.81% of total live births. This works out to be around 12,000 adults with about 300 new cases annually. Several decades ago, the survival rate of congenital patients into adulthood is only 15% but thanks to modern medicine, the survival rate today is close to 85%. It is estimated that in the next decade, the number of adult patients with CHD worldwide will exceed their paediatric counterparts.

Despite their improved life expectancy, Adult CHD (ACHD) patients face many challenging issues. Many have limited understanding of their underlying congenital defects and are unaware that they need regular checkups and follow-ups, believing they are "cured". In general, they encounter higher risks of cardiac and non-cardiac medical problems, which require proper medical management.

Started in 2003, the NHCS Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Programme offers
- ACHD clinics twice a week in which 15 - 25 patients are seen at each session. Besides offering care and follow up of ACHD patients, the programme also include screening of suspected Marfan patients, close monitoring of ACHD patients during pregnancy, etc.

- Monthly transition clinic known as the Young Adult with Congenital Heart (YACH) clinic at KKH, run jointly with their paediatric cardiologists for patients above the age of 16, to give paediatric patients a smooth transition from paediatric cardiology to adult cardiology services.

- Dedicated weekly congenital echo sessions.

- Dedicated weekly congenital cardiac catheterisation and intervention (particularly ASD and PFO device closure).

- Surgical interventions including extra-cardiac Fontan procedures for uni-ventricular hearts, pulmonary homograft replacements for Tetralogy of Fallot patients with severe pulmonary regurgitation, Rastalli conduit for patients with pulmonary atresia, etc.

- Expertise in nuclear imaging, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and multislice CT imaging.

- Expertise in pacing, arrhythmia treatment and ablation in congenital patients.

- Expertise in cardiopulmonary and exercise testing.

- Expertise in heart and lung transplantation for selected patients with end-stage congenital heart disease.

- Dedicated ACHD nurse for education, support and care of ACHD patients and their families.

Staff Members		Sub-Specialty
Department of Cardiology
Senior Consultant
Dr Tan Ju Le		Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD)
MBBS (UK), MRCP (UK), FAMS (Spore), FESC, FACC		Echocardiography
Associate Consultant
Dr Kenneth Guo		Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD)
MBBS (S'pore), M Med (Int Med), MRCP (UK)

Contact Us
To make an appointment, please contact our Appointment Unit
T: 6436 7840
F: 6222 9258
Email: central.appt@nhcs.com.sg