Defects of the Interventricular Septum in Infancy

Abstract

THE high mortality of open-heart surgery for defects of the interventricular septum in infants may be avoided by a two-stage approach instead. Surgical treatment is urgently needed in many of these small patients weighing less than 4.5 kg. (10 pounds) because of heart failure or recurrent respiratory infections that do not respond satisfactorily to medical therapy. By employing a two-stage approach, one can increase the salvage rate and still avoid the high mortality of cardiac bypass in this group.The literature contains many reports of infants dying of heart failure from this lesion. Engle¹ reported 9 cases of uncomplicated defect, . . .