Results of total repair of tetralogy of Fallot after previous subclaviopulmonary or aortopulmonary anastomosis
Abstrakt
Total repair of tetralogy of Fallot was performed in 69 patients after the primary construction of a Blalock (28 patients) or a Waterston (41 patients) anastomosis. A total of 7 patients (10.1%) died.
One to 5 yrs after correction, 62 patients (89.9%) survive: 52 (75.4%) are in a very good condition, 7 (10.1%) are in a good condition and the condition of 3 (4.4%) is unsatisfactory. 8 (11.6%) patients have serious late complications. The result of correction is not much influenced by the previous Blalock anastomosis (mortality rate 6.9%).
After the Waterston anastomosis, however, there are frequent serious complications (pulmonary hypertension in 25.0% of patients), which adversely affect the result and increase mortality (12.5%) of the subsequent correction. The authors prefer two-stage repair of tetralogy of Fallot in the first two years of life.
By administration of beta-blockers and prostaglandins they endeavour to postpone the construction of a Blalock anastomosis or an anastomosis performed by means of a polytetrafluoroethylene vascular prosthesis up to the age when the pulmonary artery branches are at least 4 mm in diameter. They plan the subsequent correction to be performed between the 2nd and the 5th year of age.