[Congenital heart defects in persons of advanced and old age]

The article presents data on 7 sectional observations on congenital heart defects in elderly and old persons (57 to 75 years). An open oval window with the functioning valve was detected in 6 cases, completely non-obliterated oval window--in one case. The correct diagnosis had not been made when the patients were alive. This can be easily explained due to the difficulties of diagnosing, since no clinical manifestations of the defect were noted for a long time. In all cases death was caused by chronic cardiovascular insufficiency.