title: Branch pulmonary artery growth after blalock-taussig shunts in tetralogy of fallot and pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect: a retrospective, echocardiographic study.
abstract: We performed a retrospective echocardiographic study in tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) or pulmonay atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA&VSD) to evaluate the effects of Blalock-Taussig shunt on branch pulmonary artery growth. There were 35 patients with TOF and 11 with PA&VSD. We measured the right and left pulmonary artery area index and also the combined pulmonary artery area index, both before and after shunt operation. The mean +/- SD of these three variables before the shunt operation in the TOF group were 63.5 +/- 22.5, 57.8 +/- 24.9, and 121.4 +/- 42.8 mm(2)/m(2); after shunt operation they were 98.5 +/- 33.6, 85.9 +/- 31.9, and 184.0 +/- 59.8 mm(2)/m(2), respectively (p values <0.0001, <0.0002, and <0.0001, respectively). In the PA&VSD group the comparable values before shunt operation were 66.5 +/- 16.0, 55.4 +/- 10.6, and 120.9 +/- 26.9 mm(2)/m(2) and after shunt operation were 90.5 +/- 22.9, 77.2 +/- 24.1, and 166.6 +/- 44.4 mm(2)/m(2), respectively (p values <0.0006, <0.014, and <0. 002, respectively). We also examined the effect of distensibility of pulmonary arteries by comparing the percentage change in size of the combined pulmonary artery area index in the first 4 months after shunt with those after this time (p < 0.023). There were no significant differences between left- and right-sided shunts, origin and distal pulmonary artery growth, and the TOF and PA&VSD groups.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Paediatric Department, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sabri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sholler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hawker
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nunn
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D018610:Heart Bypass, Right; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development*; D018633:Pulmonary Atresia / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*