title: Primary early correction of tetralogy of Fallot irrespective of age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The policy of early repair of patients with tetralogy of Fallot, irrespective of age, as opposed to initial palliation with a shunt, remains controversial. The aim of our study was to analyze the midterm outcome of primary early correction of tetralogy of Fallot.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1996 and 2005, a total of 61 consecutive patients less than 6 months of age underwent primary correction of tetralogy of Fallot in two institutions. The median age at surgery was 3.3 months, and 27 patients (44%) were younger than 3 months of age, including 12 (20%) newborns. We analyzed the patients in 2 groups: those younger than 3 months of age, and those aged between 3 and 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was one early (1.6%), and one late death. Actuarial survival was 98.4%, 96.7%, 96.7% at 1, 5, and 10 years respectively, with a median follow up of 4.5 years. There was no difference in survival, bypass time, lengths of ventilation, and hospital stay between the groups. A transjunctional patch was placed significantly more often in the patients younger than 3 months (p = 0.039), with no adverse effect on survival and morbidity during the follow-up. Freedom from reoperation was 98.2%, 92.2%, and 83% at 1, 5, and 10 years respectively, with no difference between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elective primary repair of tetralogy of Fallot in asymptomatic patients is delayed beyond 3 months of age. In symptomatic patients, primary repair of tetralogy of Fallot is performed irrespective of age, weight and preoperative state. This approach is safe, and provides an excellent midterm outcome with acceptable morbidity and rates of reintervention. The long-term benefits of this approach must be established by careful follow-up, with particular emphasis on arrhythmias, right ventricular function, and exercise performance.
authors.affiliation: Slovak Pediatric Heart Centre, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kantorova
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zbieranek
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lilje
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haun
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hraska
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome