[2 cases of prosthetic tubes in left pathway obstructions].

Two cases of severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction were managed surgically by the insertion of prosthetic tube grafts. The first case was a 6 year old child with diffuse hypoplasia of the descending aorta. A prosthetic tube graft, from the aortic arch to the distal limit of the descending aorta, was inserted through a double left thoracotomy. The second child, aged 3 1/2 years, had hypoplasia of the aortic ring. In this case, a prosthetic tube with a prosthetic aortic valve was inserted from the apex of the left ventricle to the abdominal aorta. This is a simple operation for a complex lesion. In both cases, as in other reported series, the post operative clinical and angiographic results one year later, were good. Some technical points are discussed, and the features which, in the case of aortic ring hypoplasia, led to the choice of the above method instead of that proposed by Konno, are explained. The extra cardiac tube, in fact, does not involve the cardiac structures. Its insertion is simple and non-traumatic, and particularly indicated for children.