Closed aortic valvotomy and simultaneous correction of associated anomalies in infants

A small infant with severe congenital aortic stenosis presents a difficult therapeutic problem. Both operative and nonoperative treatment are hazardous--especially when other cardiovascular anomalies are present. This report describes a simple, effective technique for dilating the stenotic aortic valve and simultaneously repairing certain associated defects. The procedure has been used successfully in 3 infants with a postoperative follow-up of 6 months to 4 years. There were no deaths, and the functional results have been excellent. This technique is presented as an alternative to the more hazardous approach to open valvotomy and/or stage correction of associated anomalies.