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(Circulation. 1961;24:51.)
© 1961 American Heart Association, Inc.

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Treatment of Complete Transposition of the Great Vessels with the Blalock-Hanlon Operation

JOHN L. OCHSNER M.D.¹; DENTON A. COOLEY M.D.¹; LEONARD C. HARRIS M.D.¹; DAN G. MCNAMARA M.D.¹

¹ From the Cora and Webb Mading Department of Surgery and Department of Pediatrics, Baylor University College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

Transposition of the great vessels is the most frequent cause of death from congenital heart disease in childhood. The high incidence and poor prognosis of this condition have stimulated the development of many palliative and corrective surgical procedures, but in general their results have been discouraging.

During the past 6 years at the Texas Children's Hospital 45 patients with transposition of the great vessels have undergone palliative operation by the creation of an atrial septal defect, using the Blalock-Hanlon technic. The prime criterion for the selection of a patient for surgical treatment was severe anoxemia with or without associated congestive heart failure. The majority of cases were under 1 year of age and 49 per cent less than 3 months of age at the time of surgery.

Among 28 patients operated upon during the past 2 years 23, or 82 per cent, survived operation with general improvement. Use of this palliative operation is recommended for the small infant or critically ill patient, and totally corrective procedures should be reserved until conditions are more favorable for survival.

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