Corrective cardiac surgery in infants. A review of 136 patients including the contribution of postoperative ventilation.

This is a review of 136 patients who have undergone corrective surgery for congenital heart disease with the aid of profound hypothermia in a 6-year period. Almost all patients were less than one year old and less than 10 kg. In 1979 the average age was 3.4 months and the average weight was 4.1 kg in 34 infants. The hypothermic technique consisted of surface cooling followed by cardiopulmonary bypass cooling and circulatory arrest during definitive surgery. The hospital mortality was 26% for the whole period, having decreased from 53% in 1974 to 15% in 1979. After operation 70% of patients with uncomplicated ventricular septal defect or the tetralogy of Fallot were extubated within 4 hours, 65% of all patients were extubated within 12 hours of operation.