ABSTRACT
Objective This retrospective study is to analysis the special medical conditions that most Chinese secondary hospitals are facing with,and to review the safeguards and pitfalls for arterial switch operations,in order to probe intothe feasibility of this procedure for Chinese secondary hospitals and provide our experiences to help other surgeons to avoid pitfalls on complex procedures.Methods Between January 2006 and December 2011,totally 21 newborns and infants with TGA/VSD and TGA/IVS underwent arterial switch operation.There were 15 males and 6 females.In the TGA/VSD group,there were 16 cases,ranging from 30 days to 1 year at surgeries,and weight from 3.4-8.5 kg with average of (5.33 ± 1.42) kg.In the TGA/IVS group,there were 5 cases,ranging from 13 days to 1 month at surgeries,and weight from 3.1-5.5 kg with average of (3.75 ± 1.17)kg.All patients underwent one stage of arterial switch operation.Routine follow-up checking points are set at discharging,3 months,half year and every year after operation.Results The early death rate is 9.5％ (2/21),and the reexploration rate is 9.5％ (2/21).In the TGA/VSD group,average cardiopulmonary bypass time is (151 ± 33) minuntes with the aortic crossclamp time is (1 19 ± 26) minutes.Ventilator support time is 24-159 hours,and the length of ICU stay is 3-17 days.1 case has residual VSD with the diameter less than 2 mm.The pulmonary flow velocity in 2 cases increase mildly to 2.0 m/s and 2.2 m/s,and another 2 cases increase severely to 3.1 m/s and 3.7 m/s.The aortic flow velocity in 3 cases increase to 2.0m/s.ECG instructs no case has myoinfarction signs.In the TGA/IVS group,average cardiopulmonary bypass time is (170 ± 52) minuntes with the aortic crossclamp time is (137 ± 48) minutes.Ventilator support time is 51-144 hours,and the length of ICU stay is 4-14 days;The pulmonary flow velocity in 2 cases increase mildly to 2.0 m/s.The aortic flow velocity in 1 cases increase to 2.0 m/s.ECG instructs no case has myoinfarction signs.Conclusion Unbalanced medical resources distribution causes significant differences between heart centers and the secondary hospitals in China,especially on the complex congenital heart diseases procedures.However,with relatively solid background on correction of the simple congenital heart diseases,the Chinese secondary hospitals can still perform arterial switch operation with satisfactory mortality and morbidity,and provide more prompt medical services for more population.