Sildenafil as a pulmonary vasodilator after repair of congenital heart disease.

We describe successful use of enteral sildenafil following surgery for congenital heart disease in three cases. One infant after repair of ventricular septal defect and aortic coarctation had pulmonary hypertension non-responsive to nitric oxide, another infant and 3.5 year child following palliative surgery for congenital heart disease with univentricular physiology were treated with inhaled nitric oxide and had severe systemic desaturations associated with endotracheal suctioning. Therapy with sildenafil reduced pulmonary arterial pressure, prevented episodes of arterial desaturations and allowed weaning from nitric oxide (Ref. 7). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk