Fontan Registry Reveals High Comorbidity and Anxiety Rates in Adults

Fontan palliation has transformed single ventricle heart disease from a once-lethal condition into a chronic, multi-systemic state requiring lifelong specialized care [1, 2]. As this population ages, clinicians face a complex landscape of late-stage complications, including heart failure, protein-losing enteropathy, and Fontan circulatory failure, which is a chronic state of venous congestion and low cardiac output [3, 4]. Current management strategies must balance the risks of atrial arrhythmias, which affect up to 60% of patients, with the necessity of universal thromboprophylaxis to prevent stroke and venous thromboembolism [1, 5]. Despite improved surgical techniques, the cumulative burden of acquired comorbidities and psychosocial challenges continues to impact long-term survival and quality of life [6, 7]. A recent multi-institutional analysis now provides a detailed cross-sectional view of these clinical challenges across the lifespan.