title: Outcome of surgical commissurotomy for aortic valve stenosis in early infancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The method of treatment of aortic valve stenosis in early infancy is still controversial. This study was performed to evaluate short-term and long-term outcome in our center during a 14-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1991 and 2004, 64 consecutive patients younger than 3 months old underwent open surgical commissurotomy because of aortic valve stenosis. Median age was 18 days (range, 1 to 79 days), and median weight was 3.6 kg (range, 1.9 to 6.7 kg). Left ventricular function was good in 44 patients (69%), depressed in 12 (19%), and poor in 8 (12%). The study ended in July 2005. Median follow-up time was 4.1 years (range, 0.4 to 13.6 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 30-day mortality was 3 of 64 patients and late mortality was 3 of 61, and the respective mortality in patients younger than 1 month old was 2 of 41 and 2 of 39. There was no early mortality after 1993 and no late mortality after 1999. Thirteen patients required reoperation. Median time to reoperation was 4.3 years (range, 0.2 to 11.3 years) and to aortic valve replacement (7 Ross and 1 homograft) was 6.9 years (range, 1.6 to 9.7 years). At the last follow-up, all had good left ventricular function and 57 of 58 had an ability index of 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical commissurotomy for aortic valve stenosis during the first 3 months of life can be done with low mortality and morbidity. The risk for early recurrent stenosis or regurgitation is low, and the need for aortic valve replacement can, in most cases, be delayed until the child is older. The long-term functional ability is excellent.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Cardiac Surgical Unit, Children's Hospital, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rehnström
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Malm
authors.forename: Peeter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jögi
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernlund
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Winberg
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Sune
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology