Right pulmonary artery development after modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (MBTS) in infants with pulmonary atresia, VSD and confluent pulmonary arteries.
The ideal palliation for infants with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect and confluent pulmonary arteries should promote normal development of the pulmonary artery branches. In 26 patients who survived a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (MBTS) in the first year of life, the right pulmonary artery was measured before and after operation by two dimensional (2D) echocardiography. In each patient its size was compared to the normal value for the same body surface area. The patients were divided according to this ratio and according to the real size (mm). Although increased in all cases but two, the size of the right pulmonary artery remained remarkably less than normal in patients with an initially small right pulmonary artery. In view of these results, early palliative enlargement of the right ventricular outflow tract is probably advisable in infants with diminutive pulmonary arteries who do not show adequate pulmonary branch development after MBTS.
Cotrufo
M
M
Medical and Surgical Institute of Cardiology, First Medical School, University of Naples, Italy.
Arciprete
P
P
Caianiello
G
G
Fittipaldi
O
O
de Leva
F
F
Violini
R
R
Calabrŏ
R
R
Vosa
C
C
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D004452:Echocardiography; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010166:Palliative Care; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000601:surgery; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000002:abnormalities*
D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene