[Tetralogy of Fallot in children--management and results of treatment]

The authors present the results of surgical treatment obtained in 288 children with tetralogy of Fallot. In 127 children palliative procedures (pulmonary-systemic anastomoses) were employed, whereas 161 patients were subjected to total surgical corrections of the defect, performed in cardiopulmonary bypass. In 127 (79%) belonging to the latter group the correction was a single stage procedure, and in 34 (21%), it followed pulmonary-systemic anastomoses. Perioperative mortality rate in children subjected to single stage procedures was 12%, being lightly lower than the rate observed in patients subjected to two stage procedures. The analysis of operative results corrected for age revealed a higher mortality rate in children operated when less then two years of age (17%) in comparison to older patients (11%).