Growth in 60 children with surgically repaired interventricular communication
Frontera Izquierdo, P.; Unceta Aguirre, L.; Cabezuelo Huerta, G.; Vázquez Pérez, J.
Anales Espanoles de Pediatria 17(5): 366-370
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0302-4342 PMID: 7168505 Document Number: 191109
Growth status was studied in 60 children with simple and severe ventricular septal defect successfully repaired. The average follow-up post-surgery was 3,5 years. Children with birth weight less of 2.500 g and extracardiac anomalies or chromosomal syndromes were excluded. Measurements before surgical treatment revealed height and weight status to be subnormal and related to physiological severity. However lowest weight score was found in youngest patients and height score was uniformly affected in both group ages. Surgical repair resulted in significant weight gain in all groups. Final height in the youngest age groups is near normal levels. However in the group of children repaired after 2 years age of the changes in height were not statistically significant. No change in the subnormal growth pattern was noted in 6 children (10%). Surgery of large and severe ventricular septal defect in very early infancy offers the best prospect for growth.