[Heart-operations in the first year of life (author's transl)].

During the last 3 years (April 1974 to April 1977) 246 patients in their first year of life underwent surgery because of complex severe congenital heart defects. Corrective surgery was attempted whenever possible, palliative procedures were used only in forms of cardiac malformations not feasible for repair. All corrective operations were done in profound hypothermia (20 to 22 degrees C) with circulatory arrest. 73,6% of all infants survived the operation and were alive 30 days after operation-most of them markedly improved or completely free of symptoms. It is concluded that correction of congenital heart defects with the technique described seems to be a promising improvement of open heart surgery in the first year of life.