Critical aortic stenosis in neonates.

Twelve infants with valvular aortic stenosis manifested symptoms of heart failure during the first 2 months of life. Nine became symptomatic and demonstrated cardiomegaly and pulmonary vascular congestion during the first week of life. The other 3 infants became symptomatic at 3-8 weeks. Echocardiograms revealed normal or enlarged left atrial and ventricular dimensions excluding hypoplastic left heart. Left ventriculography demonstrated segmental dysfunction in 7 infants and generalized hypokinesis in 2 others. Trabecular effacement corresponded with the sites of left ventricular dysfunction. Postoperative studies revealed a decrease in cardiac size and improvement in segmental dysfunction in most infants.