Section 5: Cardiac surgery.

The cardiac surgery care activity mentioned in 10° of article R. 6122-25 includes all intrathoracic surgical procedures on the cardiovascular system: the heart, the pericardium, the coronary arteries, the afferent veins, the large afferent and efferent vessels, whether or not these procedures require extracorporeal blood circulation.

Cardiac surgery is carried out in two ways: 1° Cardiac surgery for adult patients; 2° Paediatric cardiac surgery.

Authorisation to provide cardiac surgery for adult patients may only be granted to a health establishment or a health cooperation group on condition that, on the same site, in a common building or, failing that, in neighbouring buildings, it complies with the following requirements: 1° Have a full-time inpatient unit for cardiac surgery patients and protected operating theatres dedicated to this activity; 2° To have : a) An intensive care…

Authorisation to provide paediatric cardiac surgery may only be granted to a health establishment or a health cooperation group on condition that, on the same site, in a shared building or, failing that, in neighbouring buildings, it complies with the following requirements: 1° Have a dedicated full-time inpatient unit and protected operating theatres dedicated to this activity: 2° To have : a) A paediatric intensive care unit authorised under 1°…

The holder of the authorisation to provide cardiac surgery permanently ensures, in conjunction with the emergency medical assistance service mentioned in article L. 6311-2 and the emergency structures mentioned in article R. 6123-1, the diagnosis and treatment of patients likely to benefit from this activity.

Authorisation to carry out cardiac surgery may only be granted or renewed if the health establishment or health cooperation group can demonstrate, for cardiac surgery, for each site, an annual activity, forecast in the case of creation, or recorded in the case of renewal, at least equal to a minimum set by order of the Minister for Health. The annual activity referred to in the previous paragraph is established, for…