Hypoplastic aortic arch in newborns rapidly adapts to post-coarctectomy circulatory conditions.

T ransverse arch hypoplasia is an integral, albeit anatomically independent, part of neonatal coarctation of the aorta. Extended end to end anastomosis has been advocated to overcome arch hypoplasia. Numerous studies demonstrated the growth potential of the aortic arch following repair with confined extensity. Limited information, however, is available on how rapidly the hypoplastic aortic arch adapts to post-coarctectomy circulatory conditions. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that a hypoplastic transverse arch not addressed surgically, remodels to entertain increasing cardiac output in the early postoperative period.