[Clinical aspects, diagnosis and surgical correction of congenital aortopulmonary septal defect]

Characteristic signs of a rare abnormality of the major vessels, an aortopulmonary septum defect, are described. This pathology is associated with shunting and discharge of blood from the left to the right and an early development of pulmonary hypertension. The clinical course of the defect depends on the degree of the hemodynamic impairment in the pulmonary circulation. It has been elucidated that aortography with catheterization and contrast examination of the right portions of the heart is the method of choice in the diagnosis of this defect. Surgical correction of the defect is the only radical method of treatment. The long-term results of surgical treatment are promising.