Correction of Fallot's tetralogy after palliative operations

During the period 1960 to 1978, 98 patients underwent intracardiac repair of Fallot's tetralogy after palliative operations. Preoperative symptoms were cyanosis, dyspnea, increased fatigue with squatting and hypoxic spells. The hemoglobin concentration varied from 19 to 22 g/100 ml. At correction only 65 of 95 shunts were patent and needed surgical closure. Seventeen early deaths occurred (19%), the main causes being cardiac failure and arrhythmia. One patient died 3 years after correction from pneumonia. The subjective clinical result was excellent or good in all surviving patients. At repeat heart catheterization in 26 patients a high percentage of residual ventricular septal defects and pulmonary stenosis/insufficiency was found. However, the majority of defects were of minimal haemodynamic significance, and so far did not seem to do harm to the patients' subjective function.