Resection+carotid flap plasty. A new surgical technique for newborn children with coarctation of the aorta and critical hypoplasia of the aortic arch.

Coarctation of the aorta with critical hypoplasia of the aortic arch is a ductus dependent malformation-complex often combined with severe intracardiac malformations with a common denominator: there is a predominance of the pulmonary circulation and a flow restriction through the ascending aorta. Coarctation of the aorta with critical hypoplasia of the aortic arch may be looked upon as a malformation bordering on hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The degree of aortic arch hypoplasia seems to mirror the severity of the intracardiac malformation. The first objective in reconstructing these hearts is to create an unobstructed flow through the aortic arch. Resection of the coarcted segment combined with carotid flap plasty is a surgical alternative which fulfils this objective. We have used the technique in premature-born and severely ill neonates where one-step total correction was considered contraindicated. Thirteen neonates were operated upon, there were no cerebral consequences referable to the carotid artery ligation and no recoarctations.