Congenital aortic stenosis. Operative indications and surgical results.

Congenital aortic stenosis is a relatively common disease. It is the one malformation predisposing to sudden death in children. Surgical attempts at correction of critical congenital aortic stenosis have been reported within recent years, but there are no large series with adequate longterm follow up of the post-operative course of children with aortic stenosis. The present report is based on our experiences with aortic valve surgery at the Children's Hospital Medical Center, Boston during the period August 1957 to April 1960.t During this time 42 patients with congenital aortic stenosis had lesions considered severe enough to warrant corrective surgery. These patients, whose ages ranged from 6 weeks to 20 years, were all operated upon by the trans-aortic approach utilizing total cardio-pulmonary bypass (Gross, 1959) and potassium citrate cardioplegia. This report presents the results of operation and the subsequent course as judged by clinical, electrocardiographic, radiological, and, in some instances, post-operative catheterization data.