Angiocardiographic evaluation of ventricular septal defect--pre- and post-operative cardiac volume characteristics

The characteristics of the left and the right heart volume in isolated ventricular septal defect were investigated in 62 patients before surgery and in 17 after corrective surgery, which was undergone at ages ranging from 0.5 to 13. Postoperative cardiac catheterization was performed one to two months after surgery. Preoperatively, the right atrial maximal volume increased in accordance with the pulmonary to systemic pressure ratio, and the left ventricular end-diastolic volume, the left atrial maximal volume and the right ventricular end-diastolic volume increased in accordance with the degree of the left-to-right shunt. These volumes decreased considerably after surgery, although they still remained above normal. The left ventricular mass also increased in accordance with the degree of the left-to-right shunt preoperatively and did not decrease postoperatively. The left and the right ventricular ejection fractions were close to or within normal limits preoperatively and remained so after surgery. On the basis of our results and the findings previously published in the literature, factors which may influence the postoperative cardiac function in ventricular septal defects were discussed.