[Revision surgery after closure of isolated ventricular septal defects]

During the period from 1964 10 15 to 2002 06 01 428 patients underwent defect closure for isolated ventricular septal defect at Vilnius University Heart Surgery Clinic. Seventeen (4.2%) patients necessitated revision surgery in the postoperative period to repair haemodinamically significant postoperative complications. The interval between definitive defect correction and revision surgery ranged from 1 month to 24 years. Repeated procedures were contemplated because of large (Q(p)/Q(s) >1.5) interventricular residual shunts, aortic and pulmonary valve insufficiency, complete persistent heart block. Hospital mortality was 5.88%. No late postoperative deaths were observed.