Apical-aortic shunts in children.

Experience with four children undergoing apicalaortic shunts for relief of aortic valvular disease is reported. All children tolerated the procedure uneventfully, and postoperative cardiac catheterization in three revealed restoration of normal hemodynamics. In one unique case severe aortic regurgitation in a two year old boy was managed by suture closure of the aortic valve producing total left ventricular output through the apical-aortic conduit.