Pediatric surgeons are able to repair complex heart defects with a survival rate of greater than 90 percent, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a happy ending for these children and teens. Some may have a great quality of life and others, with the same condition, may not. A study conducted at seven pediatric medical centers throughout the United States shows that several categories of patients with heart disease, including African-Americans and lower-income families, have a lower quality of life.