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Primary early correction of tetralogy of Fallot irrespective of age*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2008

Andrea Kantorova
Affiliation:
Slovak Pediatric Heart Centre, Bratislava, Slovakia; by invitation
Kai Zbieranek
Affiliation:
German Pediatric Heart Centre, Sankt Augustin
Henning Sauer
Affiliation:
German Pediatric Heart Centre, Sankt Augustin
Christian Lilje
Affiliation:
University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
Christoph Haun
Affiliation:
German Pediatric Heart Centre, Sankt Augustin
Viktor Hraska*
Affiliation:
German Pediatric Heart Centre, Sankt Augustin
*
Correspondence to: Viktor Hraska, MD PhD, German Pediatric Heart Centre, Arnold-Janssen-Strasse 29, 53757 Sankt Augustin, Germany. Tel: +49 (2241) 249 601; Fax: +49 (2241) 249 602; E-mail: v.hraska@asklepios.com

Abstract

Objective

The policy of early repair of patients with tetralogy of Fallot, irrespective of age, as opposed to initial palliation with a shunt, remains controversial. The aim of our study was to analyze the midterm outcome of primary early correction of tetralogy of Fallot.

Methods

Between 1996 and 2005, a total of 61 consecutive patients less than 6 months of age underwent primary correction of tetralogy of Fallot in two institutions. The median age at surgery was 3.3 months, and 27 patients (44%) were younger than 3 months of age, including 12 (20%) newborns. We analyzed the patients in 2 groups: those younger than 3 months of age, and those aged between 3 and 6 months.

Results

There was one early (1.6%), and one late death. Actuarial survival was 98.4%, 96.7%, 96.7% at 1, 5, and 10 years respectively, with a median follow up of 4.5 years. There was no difference in survival, bypass time, lengths of ventilation, and hospital stay between the groups. A transjunctional patch was placed significantly more often in the patients younger than 3 months (p = 0.039), with no adverse effect on survival and morbidity during the follow-up. Freedom from reoperation was 98.2%, 92.2%, and 83% at 1, 5, and 10 years respectively, with no difference between the groups.

Conclusion

Elective primary repair of tetralogy of Fallot in asymptomatic patients is delayed beyond 3 months of age. In symptomatic patients, primary repair of tetralogy of Fallot is performed irrespective of age, weight and preoperative state. This approach is safe, and provides an excellent midterm outcome with acceptable morbidity and rates of reintervention. The long-term benefits of this approach must be established by careful follow-up, with particular emphasis on arrhythmias, right ventricular function, and exercise performance.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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Footnotes

*

The presentation on which this work is based was given at the Inaugural Meeting of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, held in Washington, District of Columbia, May 3 and 4, 2007.

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