Prolonged survival in a female with untreated tetralogy of Fallot

It has been reported that most patients with untreated tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) die by the time they reach adulthood. We report the case of a 72-year-old female diagnosed by echocardiography and cardiac cathetherization as having TOF and diagnosed at birth with a ventricular septal defect (VSD). During childhood, she was very thin and lacking in physical strength. On first consultation at our hospital, she was suffering from mild dyspnea, classified as NYHA functional class III, and her fingers were clubbed and cyanotic. Her PaO2 was 48.0 mmHg under room air, and hypoxia was recognized. An echocardiography and cardiac cathetherization showed a VSD, hypertrophy of the right ventricle, over-riding of the aorta and stenosis of the right ventricular outflow tract with a pressure gradient of 84 mmHg. There was a bidirectional shunt with 24% flow from the left to right and 43% from the right to left ventricle. Her Qp/Qs was 0.75. Surgical treatment was recommended. However, the patient refused, because her symptoms were alleviated with home oxygen therapy. This report shows the prolonged survival of this 72-year-old female with untreated TOF.