Transventricular aortic valvotomy for critical aortic stenosis in infants

Ten infants with critical aortic stenosis underwent transventricular valvotomy between November 1983 and September 1984. The age of the patients ranged from 1 to 38 days (mean 21.2 days). Three patients were less than 1 week of age. One had undergone a previous valvotomy performed with inflow occlusion. Most infants were critically ill when admitted to the hospital, six required inotropic and ventilatory support, and two had peritoneal dialysis before the operation. Transventricular valvotomy was performed through a left thoracotomy with Hegar dilators. Postvalvotomy peak-to-peak gradients ranged from 0 to 35 mm Hg. Three patients died at 2, 3, and 6 weeks after operation. A severe degree of endocardial fibroelastosis was present in one patient, and a second patient died of septicemia caused by wound infection, empyema, and a bronchopleural fistula. Severe left ventricular hypertrophy, with moderate fibroelastosis, was found at autopsy in the third patient. Aortic incompetence was not detected postoperatively. One patient required reoperation 7 months after the transventricular valvotomy. Transventricular valvotomy has proved to be a simple and effective technique to relieve aortic stenosis in sick infants. It permits the correction of associated coarctation of the aorta and avoids a median sternotomy. Results are comparable with the results obtained with either cardiopulmonary bypass or inflow occlusion as seen in both our experience and in the experience of others.