Author(s)

Ignacio Lugones, Pablo D. Inguanzo, Diego Antoni, Marisa Di Santo, Rubén O. García

2Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Unit, Hospital Universitario Fundación Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-term results of surgical correction of Tetralogy of Fallot in adult patients. Methods: Between 1999 and 2007, surgical correction was performed in 16 adult patients (mean age: 34.6 years; range: 18 to 62). Five previous procedures had been performed in 4 patients. Thirteen patients were in NYHA functional classification III or IV (81%), and 12 were cyanotic. Echocardiography was performed in all patients and 14 of them were catheterized. The mean gradient in the right ventricular outflow tract was 82 mmHg. Four patients had bad anatomy, consisting in coronary fistulas (2) and small pulmonary artery branches (2). Results: Infundibular resection was performed in all patients, ventricular septal defect closure in 15, pulmonary valve commissurotomy in 8, right ventricular outflow tract patch enlargement in 9 and transannular patch placement in 4. Three patients died during the postoperative hospital stay, 2 of them with sepsis. All of them had bad anatomy and severe preoperative condition. No residual defects were found. The other 13 patients had a good recovery. Eleven had less than 24 hours of mechanical ventilation. Early hospital discharge was possible in all survivors. Conclusion: Surgical correction of Tetralogy of Fallot in adulthood is an infrequent procedure. The short-term results depend mostly on the anatomic substrate and the preoperative clinical condition of the patient.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease; Congenital Heart Surgery; Postoperative Care; Pulmonary Arteries

I. Lugones, P. Inguanzo, D. Antoni, M. Santo and R. García, "Surgical Correction of Tetralogy of Fallot in Adulthood," Open Journal of Thoracic Surgery, Vol. 2 No. 3, 2012, pp. 72-77. doi: 10.4236/ojts.2012.23015.