Interrupted aortic arch. A conservative approach for the sick neonate.

Interrupted aortic arch with associated ventricular septal defect is a congenital cardiovascular defect which, untreated, is lethal in nearly 100% of the cases. We have treated nine patients by reconstructing the aorta with endogenous arch vessels; in five of them, concomitant pulmonary artery banding was also done. If two infants with preoperative complete renal failure are excluded, the mortality with this approach is only 29%. Long-term follow-up of these patients demonstrates excellent hemodynamic results with marked reduction of the anastomotic gradient in the older survivors. Growth of the anastomosis has been noted in the older survivors.