Long-term results of anastomotic operations in 120 children with cyanotic congenital heart disease operated on the the first two years of life.

The author analyse results of anastomosis in 120 children with cyanotic heart disease operated on in the first two years of life. At the age up to 3 months of life 21 infants were operated on, 11 (52.4%) of whom died in connection with the procedure. Between the 3rd and 24th month of life 99 children were operated on with a death rate of 11.1%. In 94 children hypoxic spells disappeared, cyanosis and hypoxia were relieved. In the majority of patients, however, the duration of an improved general condition was limited to five years. Both immediate and long-term results depended first of all on the age of the child and on the type of heart lesion. Patients with tetralogy of Fallot had the lowest operative mortality (7.1%) and the best long-term results. In pulmonary atresia, which has poor prognosis without operation, the results of anastomosis were the least gratifying. The authors consider an anastomotic operation, especially the Blalock and Waterston shunt, to be an important life-saving procedure in infants with cyanotic congenital heart disease with hypoxic spells and critical hypoxia.