Cardiac surgery in newborn infants

Newborn infants with severe symptoms due to congenital heart defects pose the greatest challenge to cardiac surgery, as they have the most severely disordered physiology and the most extreme anatomic deformities. A life-threatening condition, such as severe hypoxia or intractable heart failure is an indication for surgery in this age group. Some defects, including patent ductus arteriosus, coarctation of the aorta and vascular rings, are amenable to definitive correction via closed techniques. The majority of the cyanotic anomalies on the other hand, and some acyanotic conditions, may be relieved by expeditiously performed palliative surgery. Sometimes, however, the neonate requires immediate intracardiac surgery, particularly in cases of aortic valve stenosis or total anomalous pulmonary venous return. This report deals with the results of cardiovascular operations on desperately ill newborn infants.