Surgical management of neonates with complex preductal aortic coarctation

Neonates having repair of aortic coarctation commonly have associated ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus. Prostaglandin E1 is used to dilate the ductus and improve the patient's preoperative condition. An operative technique that maintains ductal patency until the final stages of anastomosis is presented. We believe it has contributed to our present improved results.