Somatic and psychomotor development of children after hypothermic open-heart surgery.

One hundred and seven patients with ventricular septal defect who survived one and a half to thirteen years after hypothermic open-heart surgery were reviewed with respect to somatic, intellectual, and psychomotor development. There were no negative effects associated with deep hypothermic arrest in any of these areas. Abnormal electroencephalograms were seen in one-half the number of patients examined, but there was no close relation between the circulatory arrest period and electroencephalographic findings. CT scanning of the brain indicated that the abnormality decreased with the lapse of the time after hypothermic open-heart surgery. It would appear that hypothermic open-heart surgery with limited circulatory arrest is a useful method, providing that the circulatory arrest is not allowed to exceed a limited period. However electroencephalographic assessment suggests that postoperative cerebral abnormalities may occur more frequently than previously suspected, despite the lack of preoperative abnormalities on the electroencephalograms.