[Surgical treatment of pulmonary valve stenosis]

"Open" pulmonary valvotomy with vena cava occlusión and normothermia was first performed by Varco in 1950, but the procedure was abandoned with the arrival of extracorporeal circulation. This paper compares two groups of patients who were operated with Varco's procedure and extracorporeal circulation. Similar data of both procedures are analyzed as well as their advantages and disadvantages. It is concluded that Varco's proceduce is useful in well selected patients with no associated anomalies in which the possibility of complications of extracorporeal circulation is avoided. Also, equipment, personnel, surgical time and stay in the Intensive Care Unit and in the hospital are reduced, saving cost as much as 50%.