Complete correction of total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage: experience with 53 patients

From January, 1973, to August, 1984, 53 infants with total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (TAPVD) underwent a corrective operation in our unit. TAPVD was of the supracardiac type in 41% of the patients, cardiac in 17%, infracardiac in 36%, and mixed in 6%. Overall operative mortality was 23%; it was highest at 42% in the infracardiac group. Factors determining the outcome were the anatomical type of the lesion, the degree of pulmonary venous obstruction, the severity of pulmonary hypertension, and the young age of the patients. In addition, surgical experience appears to be an important factor in determining the outcome. During the study, hospital mortality decreased considerably to 11%. A corrective procedure offers the only chance of survival for patients with TAPVD. With some experience, excellent results can be obtained.