A case of unusual longevity of tetralogy of Fallot confirmed by cardiac catheterization

Abstract

We describe a 61-year-old woman with tetralogy of Fallot and dextrocardia with complete situs inversus. The functional status of this patient was New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II and the systemic blood pressure was 100/54 mmHg. The hematocrit was 54.4% and the arterial partial pressure of oxygen was 53 mmHg. On cardiac catheterization, both pulmonary valvular and infundibular stenoses were of equal severity and the aorta and main pulmonary artery were of equal size. We think that this patient has survived to this unusual age for tetralogy of Fallot because of unusually low systemic pressure and a proper balance between the ventricular septal defect and the pulmonary stenosis.