| Abstract: | Dilatation of a stenosed Blalock-Taussig anastomosis was performed in 15 patients with blue-type congenital heart diseases at the Bakulev Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery, AMS USSR, from March, 1989 to May, 1991. Seven of these patients had a severe form of Fallot's tetralogy, 4--double origin of the great vessels from the right ventricle with stenosis of the pulmonary artery, 2--atresia of the right atrioventricular orifice with stenosis of the pulmonary artery, 1--atresia of the right atrioventricular orifice with atresia of the pulmonary artery, and 1 patient had corrected transposition of the great vessels with stenosis of the pulmonary artery. The patients' ages ranged from 4 to 13 years (9.45 +/- 8.1 years on the average). Saturation of arterial blood with oxygen varied from 38 to 77% (64.2 +/- 2.9% on the average). A low-amplitude to-and-fro sound of the anastomosis was either recorded or absent on the phonocardiogram. The diameter of the balloons used ranged from 4 to 13 mm. Inflation of the balloon lasted from 5 to 60 sec. Dilatation was conducted 3 to 9 times. After dilatation saturation of arterial blood with oxygen increased to 81 +/- 2.7% on the average. A clearly defined to-and-fro murmur of the anastomosis was recorded on the phonocardiogram. Angiometry of the anastomosis performed before and after dilatation showed it to be widened considerably from 3.5 +/- 0.2 mm to 5.7 +/- 0.4 mm on the average. One patient underwent a radical operation 8 months after balloon dilatation. |
