[Congenital absence of the pulmonary valve. Analysis of 7 cases]. / Ausencia congénita de la válvula pulmonar. Estudio de siete casos.

We present seven cases of congenital absence of pulmonary valve observed during a 15 years period. There are five females and two males, aged from one day to six years. Three patients with a birth weight under 1.500 g died in the first 24 hours. All the patients had a systolic diastolic murmur and a single second sound. Two dimensional echocardiography was the procedure that allowed a definite diagnosis. In the valvular ring area a fixed ecogenic image was observed during the cardiac cycle. The pulmonary trunk and branches were dilated and the valvular ring was normal or small. In four patients the study was completed with catheterism and angiocardiography. Two were operated upon, with closing of the ventricular septal defect, aortic hemograft in pulmonary situation and reduction of pulmonary artery branches size.

[Value of the esophagogram in the study of vascular rings]. / Valor del esofagograma en el estudio de los anillos vasculares.

The diagnostic value of esophagograms was studied in 67 patients with aortic arch abnormalities and tracheoesophageal compression. This group of patients included the following malformations: double aortic arch (11), retroesophageal subclavia (48), retroesophageal aorta (5), cervical arch with retroesophageal component (2) and anomalous left pulmonary artery (sling) (1). Three types of esophageal indentation were observed in the esophagogram: anterior, posterior and bilateral. Anterior indentation was caused by the left pulmonary artery, and posterior indentation, when isolated, was caused by the retroesophageal subclavia. Posterior indentation associated with bilateral indentation was present in cases of double aortic arch. The upper lateral indentation was always caused by the predominant arch. We conclude that esophagogram is an easy and valid method for the diagnosis of this type of pathology.