[An explanation of ventilation problems in congenital heart disease with left to right shunt]

The problems associated with the ventilation of children who have congenital heart disease with left to righ shunts and pulmonary hypertension are more likely to be acquired than due to the congenital malformation. Haemodynamic, angiographic, bronchoscopic and bronchographic studies demonstrated that ventilation problems arose because of compression of the bronchus by the pulmonary artery. The bronchial compression should be treated by surgery to the heart defect without removing the lung. The intervention should be early to obtain maximum benefit and to avoid irreversible damage to the bronchus.