Abstract

This report provides follow-up data on 116 patients with congenital cyanotic heart disease, aging 1 month to 13 years [median: 1.8 years], who underwent the modified Blalock-Taussig shunt using polytetrafluoroethylene graft at Seoul National University Hospital between September, 1984 and June, 1987. Among 116 patients complete follow-up studies were done on 95 patients. The mean preoperative arterial oxygen tension was 36 torr. Thirty-Six patients [38%] underwent operation in infancy. Conduit diameters included 4mm [15 cases], 5mm [47 cases], and 6mm [33 cases] sizes. The mean postoperative arterial oxygen tension was 52 torr [P<0.001]. The effectiveness of shunts was evaluated clinically and by shunt murmur, echocardiography and cardiac catheterization with angiography 1 to 31 months after operation. The incidence of shunt occlusion was 9.5% and the mortality was 14.8%. The actuarial patency rate was 83.1 * 6.4% and the actuarial survival rate was 82.5 * 4.5% at 30 months` follow-up for all patients. The effectiveness of the 4mm diameter conduit may be limited. Blalock-Taussig procedure is an effective alternative to the classic B-T shunt in congenital cyanotic heart disease.

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