CONGENITAL AORTIC STENOSIS OPERATIVE INDICATIONS AND SURGICAL RESULTS

Abstract

Forty-two patients with congenital aortic stenosis operated upon by cardiopulmonary bypass are reviewed. Two-thirds of the uncomplicated cases had valvar and 1/3 subvalvar stenosis. There were 6 operative deaths, all but one in young infants or patients with complex lesions. Among the survivors symptomatic improvement was uniform. Improvement in the electrocardiogram was noted in most of the patients with valvar but only in one of the patients with subvalvar stenosis. Post-operative catheterization in 13 patients showed significant improvement in 8. The lack of correlation between hemodynamic and electrocardiographic improvement in the subvalvar group is stressed. Indications for left heart catheterization and surgery in patients with a clinical diagnosis of aortic stenosis are outlined.