USE OF MICROPOROUS EXPANDED POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE GRAFTS FOR AORTA-PULMONARY SHUNTS IN INFANTS WITH COMPLEX CYANOTIC HEART-DISEASE - REPORT OF 7 CASES

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 76  (4) , 489-494
Abstract
Cyanotic infants (7) in an institution have undergone central aorta-pulmonary artery shunt operations with a microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethlene (PTFE) graft. All of these patients had pulmonary atresia, in 4 cases associated with endocardial cushion type defects. Patients (4) had excellent palliation for up to 13 mo. Congestive heart failure and kinking of the pulmonary artery, frequently seen with other types of central aorta-pulmonary shunts, were not a problem. Until further experience is gained with this procedure its use should be limited to the occasional cyanotic infant in whom neither open-heart repair or the Blalock-Taussig shunt is feasible.