Anatomic repair of Taussig-Bing hearts

From 1978 through 1990, 27 consecutive patients underwent anatomic repair of Taussig-Bing heart (TBH) malformation. Group 1 (seven patients) underwent intraventricular repair by rerouting of the left ventricular blood stream through a tunnel patch from the ventricular septal defect (VSD) to the aorta. Group 2 (20 patients) underwent an arterial switch with VSD closure. Indications for each type of repair were based on the following criteria: when the great vessel relation is more or less anteroposterior, repair is performed at the arterial level; when side by side, the minimal tricuspid pulmonary valve distance is evaluated; if less than aortic valve diameter or if there are abnormal tricuspid chordae, repair is performed at the arterial level; if greater, pulmonary artery banding is performed in order to wait until suitable weight for intraventricular repair. The mean age at operation was 13.2 months. Coarctation of the aorta was present in 12 patients, abnormal tricuspid chords in eight, and subaortic stenosis in seven. The great vessels were in D-transposition in 12 patients, and they were side by side in 15. Seventeen patients underwent previous palliative surgery. Early (two patients, 7.4%) and late (two patients, 8%) mortality rates were related in group 1 to subaortic stenosis and in group 2 to myocardial infarction. Mean follow-up of 40 +/- 24 months was achieved in 22 survivors. They were all in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I, without medication. Actuarial survival and freedom from reoperation rates were, respectively, at 5 years 73 +/- 14.6% and 58 +/- 13% (70% confidence limits [CL]).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)