title: Midterm results of arterial switch operation in older patients with severe pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is widely accepted that patients older than 6 months with dextrotransposition of the great arteries and nonrestrictive ventricular septal defect or Taussig-Bing anomaly and severe pulmonary hypertension usually are not candidates for an arterial switch operation or even repair. This study aimed to evaluate the midterm results of the arterial switch operation in these selected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of 86 patients older than 6 months with dextrotransposition of the great arteries and nonrestrictive ventricular septal defect or Taussig-Bing anomaly and severe pulmonary hypertension undergoing the arterial switch operation at our institution from 2000 to 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. Eighty survivors were followed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 6 hospital deaths (7.0%, 95% confidence interval, 1.6% to 12.4%). From 2006 to 2008, 46 were operated without deaths occurring. The median duration of follow-up was 42 months. Two late deaths occurred. Latest follow-up data showed that 2.8% of survivors were in New York Heart Association class II and 97.2% in class I.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Midterm results of the arterial switch operation for patients older than 6 months with dextrotransposition of the great arteries and nonrestrictive ventricular septal defect or Taussig-Bing anomaly and severe pulmonary hypertension are excellent in the current era.
authors: Pediatric Cardiac Center, Cardiovascular Institute, and Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. hjb010222@163.com
authors: Ying-long
authors: YL
authors: Liu
authors: Sheng-shou
authors: SS
authors: Hu
authors: Xiang-dong
authors: XD
authors: Shen
authors: Shou-jun
authors: SJ
authors: Li
authors: Xu
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Yan
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Wu
authors: Jing-bin
authors: JB
authors: Huang
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Kong
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult