Repair in Childhood

The criteria to be satisfied before the repair of a ventricular septal defect is advised in childhood cannot yet be stated with certainty. Even while knowledge of the natural history remains incomplete, however, little difficulty should be found in selecting for repair the large but uncomplicated defect, or in rejecting as not in need of repair the very small defect. There are more complex situations where the decision to advise operation remains largely dependent upon the personal experience of the risks and immediate benefit of operation possessed by the physician called upon to make that decision. In describing this series of ventricular septal defect repairs, we are attempting an objective medical assessment of the results of operation. While we are unable to define precise criteria for operation, we feel it is possible and desirable to indicate those situations where the prospects are most promising or least promising.