[Growth in 48 children with ventricular septal defect successfully repaired (author's transl)]

Growth status was studied in 48 children with simple and severe ventricular septal defect successfully repaired. The average follow-up post surgery was 3.5 years (range, two-seven years). Children with birth weight less of 2,500 g. and extracardiac anomalies or chromosomal syndromes were excluded. Measurements before surgical treatment revealed height and weight status to be subnormal and related to physiological severity. However lowest weight score was found in youngest patients and height score are uniformly affected in both group ages. Surgical repair resulted in significant weight gain in all groups. Final height in the youngest age groups is near normal levels. However in the group of children repaired after age of two years the changes in height were not statistically significant. No change in the subnormal growth pattern was noted in five children (10.4%). Surgery of large and severe ventricular septal defect in very early infancy offers the best prospect for growth.