title: [Medium- and long-term results of palliative surgery in complex cyanotic cardiopathies. A propos of 228 cases and 292 operations].
abstract: The results of palliative surgery are assessed in a retrospective study of 228 children operated between 1968 and 1977 for complex cyanotic congenital cardiac malformations, the longest follow-up period being 10 years. The surgery consisted in revascularising the lung by systemo-pulmonary anastomoses: Blalock-Taussing, Potts, Waterston, cavo-pulmonary shunts or, on the contrary, of avoiding pulmonary hypertension by limiting pulmonary flow with banding. In addition to these two techniques, in some cases atrial septal defects were created to improve mixing of the two circulations; equalise the pressures between the two atria and relieve the left ventricle (Blalock-Hanlon procedure) or during catheterisation (Rashkind manoeuvre). The results of pulmonary revascularisation by systemo-pulmonary anastomoses were generally satisfactory with respect to the complexity of the malformations. There were 56% good results, 82 out of 146 cases. It often provided the time for curative surgery to be performed under better conditions for the children. The results were worse in children with pulmonary hypertension, with only 33% of good results, 25 out of 82 children, and there were many complications of banding which additional problems at the time of definitive repair. Despite the tendency to widen the indications of so-called curative surgery even in very small infants, palliative surgery retains a role in complex cardiac malformations either by allowing the children to reach an optimal age for repair or by being the only possible therapeutic attitude.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000601:surgery; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery
vernacular_title: Résultats à moyen et long terme de la chirurgie palliative dans les cardiopathies cyanogènes complexes. A propos de 228 observations et de 292 interventions.