Spontaneous Closure of Small Ventricular Septal Defects

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Abstract
Infants with a clinical diagnosis of small ventricular septal defect made between 1967 and 1969 have been reviewed; recent physical examination data was obtained for 52 of the 55 children. Spontaneous closure of the ventricular defect occurred in 30 patients (58%). The incidence of closure was considered separately for muscular (65%) and membranous defects (25%), as well as for those defects where the anatomic position could not be determined clinically (58%). Age at closure, duration and intensity of the murmur, and the number of months of follow-up in nonclosures were all analyzed. As a practical index, the probabilities of closure by 5 years of age were calculated for patients theoretically presenting at birth, 1 year, and 2 years of age. These were, respectively, 58%, 48%, and 35%.

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