Cardiac surgery in the first year of life: the effect on weight gains of infants with congenital heart disease.

Forty-seven infants with ventricular septal defect (n = 17), tetralogy of Fallot (n = 7) and transposition of the great arteries (n = 23) who had 'corrective' surgery in the first year of life were reviewed with respect to birthweight and pre- and postoperative growth. The mean birthweight for each group was below that of the standard population. There was an overall decrease in growth velocity pre-operatively which was reversed after surgery. At follow up, 12-18 months later (means), most infants had regained at least their birthweight percentile, while the group with ventricular septal defect exceeded it. Consideration is given to the pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to these observations.