These MS/DNB General Surgery paediatric cardiac surgery thesis topics cover congenital septal defects, cyanotic heart disease, patent ductus arteriosus, great vessel anomalies, cardiopulmonary bypass and immediate surgical findings. A feasible paediatric cardiac surgery research topic may use routinely documented echocardiography, operative records, perfusion charts and index-admission observations, with a clearly specified lesion group, operative cohort and measurement time. Most listed projects are descriptive, comparative or analytical observational studies rather than long-term effectiveness trials. Select a question with adequate case volume, reliable access to intraoperative anatomical findings and a defined plan for preparing the synopsis and research protocol.
Last reviewed and updated: · all 100 topics checked for 2026–2027 admissions
Our MS General Surgery Thesis Guidance covers operative outcome definitions (Clavien–Dindo grading, CDC surgical site infection criteria), follow-up schedules, and institutional review board (IRB) layout guides.
Congenital Septal Defects and Intracardiac Shunt Surgery
Children undergoing surgical closure of ventricular septal defect: clinical, echocardiographic and intraoperative profile in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Perimembranous and muscular ventricular septal defects: differences in echocardiographic anatomy and operative findings in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Ventricular septal defect size and degree of cardiac chamber enlargement before surgery: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Pulmonary artery pressure and ventricular septal defect size in children undergoing surgical repair: a cross-sectional study.
Ventricular septal defect with and without aortic cusp prolapse: differences in anatomical and echocardiographic characteristics in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Aortic regurgitation in children with ventricular septal defect and its relationship with defect location: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Multiple and solitary ventricular septal defects: differences in operative anatomy and cardiopulmonary bypass requirements in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Children undergoing atrial septal defect closure: clinical, echocardiographic and operative characteristics in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Secundum and sinus venosus atrial septal defects: differences in associated venous anomalies and operative anatomy in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Atrial septal defect size and right heart chamber dilatation before surgical closure: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection in children with atrial septal defect: prevalence and surgical anatomical patterns in a cross-sectional study.
Surgical and device-closure unsuitable atrial septal defects: anatomical characteristics in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Atrioventricular septal defect in children: echocardiographic morphology and operative anatomy in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Complete and partial atrioventricular septal defects: differences in valve morphology and associated intracardiac anomalies in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Left atrioventricular valve regurgitation in atrioventricular septal defect and its relationship with valve morphology: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Down syndrome and non-syndromic children undergoing atrioventricular septal defect repair: differences in cardiac anatomy in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Pulmonary hypertension in children with left-to-right intracardiac shunts: clinical and echocardiographic profile in a cross-sectional study.
Ventricular septal defect and atrioventricular septal defect with pulmonary hypertension: differences in preoperative haemodynamic characteristics in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Echocardiographic and intraoperative concordance in defining septal defect anatomy before paediatric cardiac surgery: a cross-sectional study.
Spectrum of intracardiac shunt lesions undergoing surgical correction in a paediatric cardiac surgery unit: a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Tetralogy of Fallot and Cyanotic Congenital Heart Surgery
Tetralogy of Fallot in children undergoing complete repair: clinical, echocardiographic and intraoperative profile in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Pulmonary annulus size and right ventricular outflow tract anatomy in children undergoing tetralogy of Fallot repair: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Tetralogy of Fallot with and without pulmonary annular hypoplasia: differences in operative strategy in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Transannular patch requirement in tetralogy of Fallot and its preoperative echocardiographic predictors: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Infundibular stenosis severity and right ventricular outflow tract gradient in tetralogy of Fallot: a cross-sectional study.
Major aortopulmonary collateral arteries in tetralogy of Fallot: computed tomography and operative characteristics in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Right aortic arch in tetralogy of Fallot and associated intracardiac anatomical variations: a cross-sectional study.
Coronary artery anomalies crossing the right ventricular outflow tract in tetralogy of Fallot: prevalence and surgical relevance in a cross-sectional study.
Tetralogy of Fallot with and without previous palliative shunt: differences in pulmonary artery dimensions and operative anatomy in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Children with cyanotic congenital heart disease undergoing corrective surgery: haematological and oxygen saturation profile in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Haematocrit and resting oxygen saturation in cyanotic congenital heart disease before surgery: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Polycythemia and coagulation abnormalities in children with cyanotic congenital heart disease undergoing surgery: a cross-sectional study.
Pulmonary artery size and oxygen saturation in tetralogy of Fallot: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Tetralogy of Fallot and double-outlet right ventricle with pulmonary stenosis: differences in intracardiac anatomy in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Double-outlet right ventricle in children undergoing surgical correction: echocardiographic and intraoperative anatomical profile in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Transposition of the great arteries undergoing surgical correction: preoperative anatomical characteristics in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Ventricular septal defect patterns in transposition of the great arteries and their surgical relevance: a cross-sectional study.
Cyanotic congenital heart lesions with and without pulmonary stenosis: differences in preoperative haematological characteristics in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Echocardiographic and operative agreement in defining right ventricular outflow tract anatomy in cyanotic congenital heart disease: a cross-sectional study.
Spectrum of cyanotic congenital cardiac lesions undergoing paediatric cardiac surgery: a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus, Coarctation and Great Vessel Surgery
Patent ductus arteriosus in children undergoing surgical ligation: clinical, echocardiographic and operative profile in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Patent ductus arteriosus size and pulmonary artery pressure before surgical closure: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Small and large patent ductus arteriosus: differences in cardiac chamber enlargement and pulmonary pressure in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Patent ductus arteriosus with and without pulmonary hypertension: differences in clinical and echocardiographic characteristics in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus in low-body-weight children: anatomical and perioperative characteristics in a cross-sectional study.
Patent ductus arteriosus morphology on echocardiography and intraoperative ductal anatomy: a cross-sectional concordance study.
Coarctation of the aorta in children undergoing surgical repair: clinical, echocardiographic and computed tomography profile in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Discrete and long-segment coarctation of the aorta: differences in anatomical characteristics and surgical approach in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Upper and lower limb blood pressure gradient and anatomical severity of aortic coarctation: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Aortic arch hypoplasia in children with coarctation and its relationship with operative strategy: a cross-sectional study.
Coarctation of the aorta with and without ventricular septal defect: differences in cardiac anatomy in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Bicuspid aortic valve in children with coarctation of the aorta: prevalence and echocardiographic characteristics in a cross-sectional study.
Interrupted aortic arch undergoing surgical correction: anatomical types and associated intracardiac anomalies in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Aortic arch anomalies in paediatric cardiac surgery patients: computed tomography and operative spectrum in a cross-sectional study.
Vascular rings in children presenting for surgical correction: clinical and computed tomography profile in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Double aortic arch and right aortic arch with aberrant subclavian artery: differences in airway compression on imaging in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Pulmonary artery sling in children undergoing surgery: clinical, bronchoscopic and computed tomography characteristics in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Great vessel anomaly detected on preoperative imaging and corresponding operative anatomy: a cross-sectional concordance study.
Children undergoing surgery for obstructive aortic arch lesions: differences in age, symptoms and anatomical severity in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Spectrum of surgically treated patent ductus arteriosus and great vessel anomalies in a paediatric cardiac unit: a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Operative Variables and Blood Conservation
Cardiopulmonary bypass characteristics in children undergoing congenital cardiac surgery: a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Cardiopulmonary bypass time and surgical complexity in common congenital heart operations: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Aortic cross-clamp duration and type of intracardiac repair in paediatric cardiac surgery: a cross-sectional study.
Cyanotic and acyanotic congenital heart surgery: differences in cardiopulmonary bypass and cross-clamp requirements in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Body weight and prime volume requirements during cardiopulmonary bypass in children: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Hemodilution during paediatric cardiopulmonary bypass and its relationship with body weight and circuit prime volume: a cross-sectional study.
Preoperative haematocrit and intraoperative transfusion requirement in paediatric cardiac surgery: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Cyanotic and acyanotic children undergoing cardiac surgery: differences in intraoperative blood product utilisation in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Platelet count before surgery and intraoperative blood product requirement in paediatric cardiac procedures: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Cardiopulmonary bypass duration and intraoperative transfusion burden in paediatric cardiac surgery: a cross-sectional study.
Blood conservation strategies and intraoperative transfusion exposure in low-weight paediatric cardiac surgical patients: a comparative cross-sectional study.
Ultrafiltration use during cardiopulmonary bypass and immediate haematological parameters at completion of surgery: a cross-sectional study.
Conventional and modified ultrafiltration groups in paediatric cardiac surgery: differences in immediate intraoperative haematocrit and fluid balance in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Intraoperative fluid balance and cardiopulmonary bypass duration in congenital heart surgery: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Temperature management during paediatric cardiopulmonary bypass across different congenital cardiac operations: a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Mild and moderate hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass: differences in operative characteristics in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Cardioplegia volume and myocardial ischaemic time in paediatric intracardiac repair: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Surgical complexity and requirement for multiple cardioplegia doses during congenital heart surgery: a cross-sectional study.
Intraoperative lactate levels and cardiopulmonary bypass duration in paediatric cardiac surgery: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Operative variables associated with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass in children undergoing congenital cardiac repair: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Perioperative Assessment and Immediate Surgical Outcomes During Index Admission
Preoperative nutritional status in children undergoing congenital cardiac surgery: a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Underweight and normal-weight children undergoing cardiac surgery: differences in preoperative haematological and cardiac characteristics in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Age-for-weight deficit and complexity of congenital cardiac lesion in surgical patients: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Preoperative anaemia in children undergoing congenital heart surgery: prevalence and associated cardiac diagnoses in a cross-sectional study.
Preoperative oxygen saturation and haemoglobin concentration in cyanotic congenital heart disease: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Electrolyte abnormalities before paediatric cardiac surgery and their relationship with underlying cardiac lesion: a cross-sectional study.
Renal function parameters in children undergoing congenital cardiac surgery and their relationship with cyanotic status: a comparative cross-sectional study.
Preoperative chest radiographic cardiothoracic ratio and echocardiographic cardiac chamber enlargement in congenital heart disease: a cross-sectional correlation study.
Airway abnormalities in children with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac surgery: prevalence and associated cardiac lesions in a cross-sectional study.
Syndromic and non-syndromic children undergoing congenital cardiac surgery: differences in cardiac lesion spectrum in a comparative cross-sectional study.
Children with Down syndrome undergoing cardiac surgery: spectrum of congenital cardiac lesions and operative procedures in a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Preoperative pulmonary hypertension and immediate operative characteristics in congenital heart surgery: an analytical cross-sectional study.
Residual intracardiac shunts detected on immediate postoperative echocardiography after congenital cardiac repair: prevalence and surgical characteristics in a cross-sectional study.
Immediate postoperative echocardiographic findings after ventricular septal defect and atrial septal defect repair: a comparative cross-sectional study.
Residual right ventricular outflow tract gradient after tetralogy of Fallot repair and associated intraoperative anatomical factors: a cross-sectional study.
Immediate postoperative conduction abnormalities following paediatric intracardiac repair: prevalence and associated surgical procedures in a cross-sectional study.
Temporary pacing requirement during index admission after congenital cardiac surgery and associated operative factors: a cross-sectional study.
Re-exploration for bleeding during the same hospitalisation after paediatric cardiac surgery: preoperative and intraoperative factors in an analytical cross-sectional study.
Immediate surgical complications during index hospitalisation across common congenital cardiac operations: a descriptive cross-sectional study.
Clinical, echocardiographic and intraoperative characteristics of children undergoing congenital cardiac surgery at a tertiary care centre in India: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.
Not the general surgery subspeciality you need? Paediatric cardiac surgery is one section of our full general surgery collection — the hub page lists every subspeciality, each with its own free topic list. Updated October 2026.
📌 Updated for 2026–2027 MS/DNB General Surgery paediatric cardiac surgery admissions
Practical data: review local case numbers, congenital cardiac echocardiography reports, cardiac catheterisation or CT angiography when clinically indicated, operative notes, bypass records and postoperative echocardiograms before selecting an exposure or comparison.
Not routinely necessary: advanced genetic testing, research-only imaging, unindicated invasive haemodynamic measurements or years of follow-up; the study can use clinically obtained investigations and observations during the index admission.
Publication planning: define lesion subtypes, anatomical classifications, procedural details, denominators and timing of measurements in advance, and report associations without implying causation from observational comparisons.
Generate a protocol from any topic above
Select Generate Protocol → beside any title in the list above and receive a submission-ready document built around that topic, containing all eighteen components:
Introduction / Synopsis
Research Question
Aim of the Study
Primary Objective
Secondary Objectives
Materials and Methods
Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Sample Size Calculation
Methodology
Statistical Analysis
Ethical Considerations
Review of Literature
References
Gantt Chart / Study Timeline
Patient Information Sheet
Consent Form
Data Collection Form
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Generate the full paediatric cardiac surgery protocol directly — objectives, methodology, sample size, statistics, timeline, references and annexures.
Alongside paediatric cardiac surgery protocols and synopses, support is also available for departmental presentations, journal club presentations, ethics committee presentations, and posters and oral presentations for medical conferences — for postgraduate residents, board trainees and research scholars across India and the GCC. Prepared by a practising doctor with long experience in medical publishing and thesis supervision.
The topics above work as research questions anywhere — what changes is the document the institution expects, and who approves it before data collection begins. The Gulf equivalent of an Indian synopsis is the paediatric cardiac surgery research proposal submitted to an institutional review board, and it ordinarily carries three sections an Indian synopsis does not: a Gantt chart, a budget and resources section, and a Declaration of Helsinki statement.
Board and residency programmes — country by country
Saudi Arabia — SCFHS and the Saudi Board. Residency and fellowship training under the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties includes a research project with a set timeline, and the paediatric cardiac surgery research proposal is the document prepared at the outset and cleared by the institutional review board before recruitment starts.
United Arab Emirates — DHA, DOH Abu Dhabi and MOHAP. Residents training in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates prepare a paediatric cardiac surgery research protocol for their programme and submit it for institutional review board approval before any data are collected.
Qatar — DHP (formerly QCHP) and Hamad Medical Corporation. A paediatric cardiac surgery IRB proposal is reviewed before recruitment, with the ethics section written to the institution's own template rather than a generic one.
Bahrain — NHRA. Trainees turning paediatric cardiac surgery research topics into a project need the proposal cleared by their institutional research and ethics committee before fieldwork begins.
Oman — OMSB. Residency programmes under the Oman Medical Specialty Board include a research component, and the paediatric cardiac surgery research proposal is the document assessed at the start of it.
Kuwait — KIMS. A paediatric cardiac surgery study protocol goes to the institutional committee for approval before the project begins.
Arab Board programmes across the region. The Arab Board carries its own research requirement irrespective of the host country, and the paediatric cardiac surgery proposal follows the same structure throughout.
Postgraduate degrees — Malaysia, the Gulf and beyond
Malaysia — MMed, the National Medical Research Register and MREC. A paediatric cardiac surgery dissertation proposal for a Master of Medicine programme carried out in a Ministry of Health facility must be registered on the NMRR and approved by the Medical Research and Ethics Committee before the study begins, and the guidance asks for submission four to six months ahead of data collection. Every investigator on the study team registers on the NMRR as well, so the methodology, ethics and team sections are written in far more detail than an Indian synopsis requires.
PhD and Master's candidates elsewhere. University programmes generally require a full paediatric cardiac surgery research proposal of roughly 6,000 to 10,000 words, with an extended literature review, a theoretical framework and a detailed methodology chapter.
PhD and MMed proposals are written individually by a medical doctor and revised until the supervisor accepts them. They are not produced by the automated protocol generator.
🔥 Trending research areas in paediatric cardiac surgery for 2026–2027
Echocardiography-to-operative anatomical agreement: septal margins, venous connections, outflow tract anatomy and great vessel variants matter directly to surgical planning; clear reference standards make concordance analyses useful.
Patient-specific repair planning in tetralogy of Fallot: pulmonary annular dimensions, coronary crossings and collateral vessels can be evaluated against documented reconstruction choices without assuming that a given technique is superior.
Cardiopulmonary bypass and blood conservation: indexed prime volume, haemodilution, ultrafiltration and transfusion exposure can be assessed from perfusion records, provided body weight and operation complexity are addressed.
Standardised immediate postoperative assessment: residual shunts, right ventricular outflow gradients, conduction abnormalities and early re-exploration offer defined index-admission outcomes, provided their observation windows are consistent.
Protocol and synopsis guidance
What should a paediatric cardiac surgery thesis protocol contain?
Specify the congenital lesion and operative population, referral and inclusion pathway, age or weight restrictions, recruitment interval, imaging and operative definitions, and one primary outcome. For an echocardiography-operative concordance study, prespecify anatomy categories, who interprets each record and how disagreements are handled. For bypass studies, document operation type, procedural complexity, prime volume, weight, bypass and cross-clamp times, and the time of each laboratory result. Define whether the endpoint is present before surgery, at operation, immediately after repair or during the index admission.
How is a synopsis different from a full research protocol?
A synopsis briefly presents the question, rationale, objectives, design, sample-size basis and proposed analysis for departmental or university review. The protocol adds detailed eligibility criteria, lesion definitions, echocardiographic measurements, operative data sources, case-record form, consent or waiver arrangements, confounder handling, missing-data rules and an analysis plan. An anatomical concordance study needs a predetermined definition of agreement, whereas a perioperative comparison needs an explicit observation window and comparable clinical groups.
How should sample size and statistics be planned?
Base the sample size on the principal estimate or comparison: a proportion for residual shunts, agreement parameters for imaging versus operative anatomy, or a clinically meaningful difference for bypass or transfusion comparisons. Confirm availability of uncommon lesions such as interrupted aortic arch before choosing them. Summarise categorical characteristics with counts and percentages and continuous measures with suitable descriptive statistics; use confidence intervals, chi-square or exact tests, appropriate continuous-variable comparisons, and regression only when event counts and assumptions permit. Avoid treating multiple observations from the same child as independent patients, and account for weight, cyanotic status and procedure complexity when interpreting comparisons.
1. How do I choose a feasible paediatric cardiac surgery thesis topic for 2026–2027?
Start with the paediatric cardiac operations performed regularly at the study centre, then check whether preoperative echocardiograms, operative findings and perfusion or immediate postoperative records are complete. A focused ventricular septal defect, tetralogy of Fallot or cardiopulmonary bypass question may be more feasible than a rare great vessel lesion. Specify one main question and an attainable recruitment period.
2. Which study designs suit paediatric cardiac surgery thesis topics?
Descriptive cross-sectional studies can profile congenital lesion anatomy or operative characteristics; comparative cross-sectional studies can examine anatomy across clinical groups; analytical studies can explore associations between preoperative measurements and intraoperative variables. Retrospective record reviews may be suitable if the local approval process permits them. An observational design does not establish the effect of a surgical technique.
3. How should I finalise a paediatric cardiac surgery topic with my guide?
Take a short list of topics to the guide and operating team, along with approximate annual case numbers, age ranges, echocardiography availability, standard operative documentation and realistic inclusion criteria. Agree on the primary variable and whether a paediatric cardiac surgeon, cardiologist and perfusionist can verify the definitions and data collection.
4. Can I select a free paediatric cardiac surgery research topic from this page?
Yes. The topic list is intended for browsing and shortlisting. Feasibility depends on local case mix, ethics approval and access to clinical, echocardiographic, operative and perfusion records. The final study title and protocol should be adapted to the study centre rather than copied without review.
5. What is the difference between a thesis synopsis and its protocol?
The synopsis is the concise academic proposal outlining the question, objectives and planned methodology. The full protocol specifies the recruitment route, congenital lesion classification, measurement definitions, data capture, safeguarding, sample-size assumptions, statistical plan and procedures for handling missing or discordant measurements.
6. What ethical approval and consent considerations apply to children undergoing cardiac surgery?
Institutional ethics committee approval is required under applicable institutional rules. Obtain parent or guardian permission and age-appropriate assent where indicated for prospective participation; a retrospective chart review may qualify for a consent waiver only if the ethics committee approves it. Protect paediatric identifiers, avoid research-only invasive procedures without specific justification, and ensure participation never delays or influences necessary surgery or emergency treatment.
7. What is the most important methodological pitfall in imaging-operative agreement studies?
Operative observations are available mainly for children selected for surgery, so agreement measured only in operated children cannot be generalised to every child with suspected congenital heart disease. Record the surgical selection pathway and the time between echocardiography and operation, define each anatomical category before review, and do not interpret simple percentage agreement as sensitivity or specificity without an appropriate reference standard and study population.
8. Are these topics useful for qualifications beyond Indian MS or DNB programmes?
They can provide starting questions for local research discussions in programmes linked to the SCFHS or Saudi Board, Arab Board, DHP, DHA, DOH and MOHAP pathways, subject to the relevant programme rules and institutional access. A PhD proposal generally requires a different level of originality and depth than an MS/DNB synopsis; these titles do not by themselves satisfy any regulator's eligibility or research requirements.
9. How do I register or begin a paediatric cardiac surgery dissertation?
Check the current university or institution rules, confirm a recognised guide and centre-specific feasibility, refine the title and objectives, obtain the prescribed synopsis and ethics approvals, and register the project using the institution's required process. Begin recruitment or record extraction only after the required approvals are in place.
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