[Aortopulmonary window: external occlusion in the newborn (author's transl)]

Correction of aortopulmonary window in the newborn infant carries a high operative risk. Even later in life operative mortality with or without cardiopulmonary bypass may amount to 30% and more. To reduce the operative risk a new technique for closure of the aortopulmonary window was employed in 2 infants aged 3 and 4 weeks, respectively. With this method the communication is externally occluded by 4 or 5 mattress-sutures, buttressed with Dacron strips on each side. Both infants underwent emergency operation because of intractable heart failure. The postoperative course was uneventful and both were discharged from the hospital in good condition.