Indications for and results of surgery in ventricular septal defects.
Surgical closure of VSDs is indicated mainly for those that are larger and causing either servere congestive heart failure or else pulmonary vascular disease. The latter, producing an increased pulmonary vascular resistance, is usually reversible if the VSD is closed under 2 years of age, but may become irreversible if left for longer times. Primary closure of the VSD, even in infants is in many centers done with a lower mortality than banding of the pulmonary artery and late VSD repair. Selection of patients needs great care because VSDs frequently get smaller or close spontaneously, even if initially large.
D000367:Age Factors; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality