[Comparative evaluation of the cardiac functional reserve in operated and nonoperated congenital heart defect patients].

The functional cardiac reserve was studied in 26 non-operated and 42 operated patients with congenital heart diseases. The ratio of the maximum utilization of oxygen (VO2 max) to the heart volume (HV) was shown to be an objective quantitative index of the functional cardiac reserve. The authors believe that the value of the functional cardiac reserve may be used for the determination of risk as well as for the assessment of the rehabilitation of the rehabilitation significance of operations in patients with congenital heart diseases.