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CLINICAL STUDIES

Echocardiographic hemodynamic and morphometric predictors of survival after two-ventricle repair in infants with critical aortic stenosis¹

^a Lillie Frank Abercrombie Section of Pediatric Cardiology, Texas Children’s Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
^* Department of Pediatrics and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

Manuscript received November 6, 1997; revised manuscript received March 24, 1998, accepted April 9, 1998.

Address for correspondence: Dr. John P. Kovalchin, Pediatric Cardiology, MC 2-2280, Texas Children’s Hospital, 6621 Fannin Street, Houston, Texas 77030
johnk{at}bcm.tmc.edu

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to identify echocardiographic hemodynamic and morphometric factors that would predict which infants with critical aortic stenosis could undergo relief of left ventricular outflow obstruction as opposed to the Norwood procedure.

Background. Echocardiographic predictors of survival in infants with critical aortic stenosis after two-ventricle repair have been mainly limited to morphometric factors, which have limitations. Echocardiographic hemodynamic predictors of survival in these patients have not previously been studied.

Methods. Doppler color flow mapping and pulsed Doppler techniques were used to obtain hemodynamic measurements of flow in the ascending, transverse and descending aorta, the ductus arteriosus, and across the aortic and mitral valves in infants with critical aortic stenosis. Morphometric measurements of the left heart structures were obtained, and comparisons were made between survivors and nonsurvivors for the hemodynamic and morphometric factors.

Results. Twenty-eight infants (mean age 1 ± .6 days, mean weight 3.6 ± .6 kg) with critical aortic stenosis were evaluated. Nineteen had a two-ventricle repair initially attempted, and nine had a Norwood operation. Among the patients with a two-ventricle repair, the hemodynamic factors associated with survival after two-ventricle repair included predominant or total antegrade flow in the ascending (p < 0.01) and transverse aorta (p < 0.05). Aortic valve gradient, mitral valve inflow and direction of flow in the ductus arteriosus and descending aorta were unrelated to outcome. The morphometric factors associated with survival after two-ventricle repair included the indexed aortic annulus (p < 0.0002), aortic root (p < 0.003), ascending aorta (p < 0.008) and left ventricular long-axis length (p < 0.01). Left ventricular volume, mass, ejection fraction and mitral valve area were not related to outcome after two-ventricle repair.

Conclusions. In infants with critical aortic stenosis, predominant or total antegrade flow in the ascending and transverse aorta was associated with survival after two-ventricle repair. Determination of a one- versus two-ventricle repair remains a complex issue in infants with critical aortic stenosis. In addition to established morphometric predictors, hemodynamic information on the direction of flow in the aorta may help to define candidates for the Norwood operation.

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