Tetralogy of Fallot in adults. A report on 147 patients

Abstract

Presented here is the clinical and hemodynamic profile of 147 patients, above the age of 18 with tetralogy of Fallot. Cardiac catheterization and selective cineangiocardiography were performed in all. Infundibular pulmonary stenosis, a subaortic large infracristal ventricular septal defect, mitral-aortic fibrous continuity and equal pressures in both the ventricles and aorta were considered mandatory for the diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot. Cardiac enlargement was seen in 25.8 per cent of the patients, and 15.6 per cent were in congestive cardiac failure; 9.5 per cent had systemic hypertension, and aortic regurgitation was present in 6.7 per cent. A reticular pattern in the lung fields due to bronchial collaterals was seen in 23.1 per cent. The incidence of right aortic arch (19.9 per cent), absent left pulmonary artery (2.8 per cent), absent right pulmonary artery (0.7 per cent) and dextrocardia (1.4 per cent) is brought out. The right atrial mean pressure was increased in 4.8 per cent and a prominent "a" wave greater than 10 mm Hg was present in 10.9 per cent. The right ventricular end-diastolic pressure was increased in 23.8 per cent and the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in 25.9 per cent of the patients.