What is Neurological Complications of Congenital Heart Disease ?

Neurological complications contribute substantially to mortality and morbidity from congenital heart disease. The long-term consequences of many of these complications are often devastating. Congenital heart disease has been shown to adversely influence the neuro-developmental outcome of children.

Acute Global Ischemia : Acute global ischemia of the central nervous system result from a sudden marked reduction in oxygen supply to the central nervous system.

Acute Focal Ischemia : Focal neurological deficits or "strokes" may result in a variety of ways.1n a recent retrospective series on strokes in adults with cyanotic congenial heart disease die occurrence of strokes best correlated with frequent phlebotomy and microcytosis.
Embolization from a cardiac source occurs in patients with congenital heart disease who have dilated and/or dysfunctional cardiac chambers. Paradoxical embolization is often difficult to document, but may be responsible for strokes in patients with congenital heart disease.

Infections of the Central Nervous System Brain Abscess :  This problem is largely confined to the developing world where it continues to be a major problem for a huge population of uncorrected cyanotic congenital heart disease and accounts substantially for the increased mortality and morbidity. Mycotic aneurysms can result from infective endocarditis. This is potentially lethal because of a high incidence of intracranial bleeding.