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[Tetralogy of Fallot. Anatomo-clinical, prognostic and therapeutic features]
Abstract:
Between Feb. 1992 and Aug. 1995 during a prospective study Tetralogy of Fallot (TF) has been diagnosed in 34 children among 207 with congenital heart disease (CHD). Our purpose is to assess prevalence of TF among CHD, to analyse clinical and paraclinical aspects in patients with TF and to point out associated abnormalities in that disease. In all patients diagnosis was made by echocardiography-Doppler (ATL MK 600). In our patients with CHD, TF represent the third abnormality encountered accounting for 16.49% after ventricular septal defect (30.9%) and persistent ductus arteriosus (18.8%). Mean age of patients with TF is 8.36 years. History showed cardiopathy in the family of one patient. The brother had persistent ductus arteriosus. In our patients with TF, clubbing is present in 70.58% of the cases, cyanosis in 79.41% and squatting in 76.47%. Anoxic spells are present in six patients. On chest x-ray mean cardio-thoracic ratio is 0.57 +/- 0.076. On ECG mean QRS axis is +121 +/- 22.91 degrees. In one patient with Cornélia Delange syndrome TF is associated with complete endocardial cushion defect. Mean follow-up is 332,42 days. Endocarditis on the pulmonary valves is present in one case. Four patients died after complications. Because of poor clinical tolerance and complications, surgery is indicated for all our patients. Only 7 patients underwent surgery. Two of them were operated in Dakar. There was two postoperative complications, one patient had brain abscess which necessitate reoperation, and the other had hypertension in the right ventricle and atrial right to left shunt. Our study shows that TF is an important nosologic group. In our country this frequent malformation have a poor prognosis in the majority of cases because late detection and frequent complications. Because palliative surgery for TF is now available in Senegal prognosis of the patients is going to improve. Future Development of open heart surgery will offer a corrective approach for patients with TF in Senegal.