Coarctation of the aorta in early infancy. Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and its clinical implications.

In order to clarify the clinical significance of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, 11 infants with coarctation of the aorta and ventricular septal defect were subjected to cineangiography (or autopsy) analysis. Three infants without left ventricular outflow tract obstruction were salvaged by aortoplasty using a subclavian flap or a Dacron patch with concomitant pulmonary artery banding. The remaining 8 infants died surgically or nonsurgically, and were confirmed retrospectively to have had left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. It seems worthwhile to stress that the presence of an abnormal muscle bundle in the left ventricle can be demonstrated angiographically, especially by the axial technique. From our present study, though the number of cases examined is limited, we have an impression that left ventricular outflow tract obstruction may be a determining factor with regard to the appropriateness of pulmonary artery banding in the two-stage operation for infantile coarctation associated with a large ventricular septal defect.