Banding of the Pulmonary Artery

Abstract

The results of banding of the pulmonary artery in 111 children with cardiac malformations associated with excessive pulmonary blood flow are presented. Thirty-three of these children died, eleven either of late band complications or after a corrective operation. Patients with ventricular septal defect represent the largest group of malformation among the 111 patients. The overall mortality for banding in patients with isolated ventricular septal defect is 10%, as compared to 36% in patients with ventricular septal defect complicated by an associated lesion. In all infants with ventricular septal defect banded under age 3 months the mortality is 59%, as compared to a mortality of 21% in those banded after age 3 months and only 7% if banded after age 1 year. The overall mortality figures for pulmonary arterial banding have not changed appreciably since 1966; future improvement in banding mortality will depend on improved postoperative management of these infants. Serial hemodynamic studies in patients banded under the age of 2 years have shown a fall in the pulmonary resistance toward normal, with none showing a progression of pulmonary vascular disease. In several patients thickening of the pulmonary valve occurred as a complication of banding.