The STS Congenital Task Force was formed in 1998 with the goal of establishing standard definitions for reporting purposes. The committee membership includes representatives from North America, Europe, and Asia. Our goal is to establish a truly international nomenclature. Thus far, we have built a solid foundation for facilitating multiinstitutional data analysis; as well as providing data support for clinical programs, research, and teaching at individual institutions.

The Task Force members are united in this effort to build data specifications including risk stratification algorithms, procedure , diagnosis, and complications parameters. This collaboration has already resulted in significant achievements.

• The two major European societies (EACTS and European Congenital Heart Surgeons Society) have adopted the STS minimum dataset. Preliminary discussions have begun with North American Pediatric Cardiology representatives.

• A supplemental issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery was published in April, 2000. The supplement describes the foundation of the committee’s plan to establish a hierarchical reporting structure that encompasses a wide range of data collection and reporting needs.

• The 662 outcome reports that have been developed will provide a comprehensive overview of the full spectrum of congenital heart surgery. These reports are in the sample stage at this time pending a data harvest.

• We are moving forward with a preliminary harvest of Cardioaccess data in 2001, once the minimum data set specifications have been finalized and all sites have been upgraded. We expect this to occur in the Summer of 2001.

If you are interested in participating in the European data harvest coordinated through EACTS, please contact:

Zdzislaw Tobota
E-mail: Echdd@pol.pl

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