[Functional assessment of the state of patients after Fontan's operation]

A bicycle ergometric test was performed in 27 patients 2.5 months to 5 years after Fontana's operation in order to study their physical working capacity and major parameters for cardiac pump and contractile functions by tetrapolar chest rheography and those for external respiration. In the early periods following the surgery, the patients showed a low physical working capacity with a respective reduction in the pump and contractile functions of the heart. In the late periods, in addition to positive clinical dynamics, there was an improvement of functional parameters for the cardiorespiratory system. The status in the majority of patients was steady-state for more than 2 years after the surgery.