Pulmonary artery banding for ventricular septal defect.

Abstract

A series of 60 infants with septal defects transmitting a left-to-right shunt is reported. In nearly all the septal defect was ventricular. Most of these infants presented with recurrent heart failure. Pulmonary artery banding was done on 48 of the series. Follow-up has ranged from 15 months to 6 years. The majority of the 29 survivors are symptomless and growing normally. The commonest late complication of the operation (8 patients) is the appearance of cyanosis. Investigation has shown that in some cases this is due to the lumen of the artery becoming inadequate for the growing child, in others to the persistence of Eisenmenger''s reaction despite the band.