Significance of patient categorization for perioperative management of children with tetralogy of Fallot, with special regard to co-existing malformations.

Background: The aim of our study was to facilitate perioperative calculation of potential risk factors on the outcome of corrective surgery for children with tetralogy of Fallot.

Methods: The medical records of 81 (44 female and 37 male) out of a total of 87 patients undergoing complete surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot between 1988 and 2004 at the Children's Hospital of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz were reviewed. PATIENTS were divided into four categories, depending on the severity of pulmonary stenosis and cyanosis, as well as on the type of pulmonary circulation.