Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC)is one of a few congenital heart diseases which need emergency surgical correction, but its high perioperative mortality remains a dilemma for its surgical correction. In recent years, increasing studies have achieved a great progress regarding risk factors of surgical mortality of TAPVC. Surgical era, anatomic classification, younger age, low body weight, long cardiopulmonary bypass time and pulmonary venous obstruction have been generally considered important risk factors of surgical mortality of TAPVC. This review focuses on domestic and international research progress of risk factors of surgical mortality of TAPVC in recent years in order to further understand their mechanisms, reduce surgical mortality as much as possible, and improve clinical outcomes.