Long-Term Follow-up of Left-to-Right Shunts Complicated by Pulmonary Vascular Obstructive Disease

The indications for surgical vs. medical management of intracardiac or extracardiac shunt defects complicted by pulmonary vascular obstructive disease remains controversial. No large long-term studies have reported the effects of surgical vs. medical management. We shall review four large series of patients, each with one of the following conditions: atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, complete atrioventricular canal defect, or truncus arteriosus.