Many infants that undergo cardiac surgery develop an aged immune system
Infants that undergo cardiac surgery often have their thymus gland removed. The thymus performs important functions during the development of the immune system and a new study at Sahlgrenska Academy shows that infants, whose thymus was surgically removed, have an immune system at 18 years of age comparable to one normally seen in 65-70 year-olds.Approximately 1 percent of all children are born with heart defects and, since the 1980s, the number of children undergoing corrective heart surgery during the newborn period has increased. During major cardiac surgery where the heart is