Aortic coarctation in the first three months of life. An anatomopathological study with respect to treatment.

Operation for coarctation in infancy is a lifesaving procedure, but it still carries a high mortality and is followed frequently by recurrence of stenosis. This is especially true when the procedure is performed in the first 3 months of life. To determine a correlation, if any, between anatomy of coarctation and surgical procedures, we have studied a series of 42 autopsy specimens from patients younger than 3 months who had aortic coarctation. We found that concepts of coarctation based solely on a discrete lesion or isthmic hypoplasia were simplistic. The anatomy was much more complex, the findings being relevant to surgical techniques currently in use (resection and end-to-end anastomosis, subclavian flap aortoplasty). Of equal significance in the cases we studied to the presence of a shelf of ductal tissue within the aortic lumen or hypoplasia of a segment of the arch was the finding of "waist" lesions. In these cases the wall of the aorta was constricted to form the obstruction. Such "waists" coexisted with discrete shelves or with shelves and isthmic narrowing. While we recognize the danger of extrapolating from autopsy findings to predict clinical results, our observations suggest that surgical procedures might best be tailored to the precise anatomy present. It seemed that in may cases a subclavian flap procedure offered the best chance of success. Cases with anatomy suitable for resection and end-to-end anastomosis were less frequent. Percutaneous angioplasty seemed at best to offer only palliative options in limited cases.