Correction of simple congenital heart defects in children and adolescents through minithoracotomies.

Objective: To evaluate the repair of congenital heart defects through minithoracotomies.

Methods: Between January 1998 and March 2005, 98 patients underwent minithoracotomies for simple congenital heart defect repairs at our institution. All patients were female between the ages of 14 months and 16 years (mean 4.

[Initial analysis of the use of the L-D-Hydro (Eato L-D-Hydro) organic tubular graft for performing the modified Blalock-Taussig procedure in congenital heart diseases with decreased pulmonary blood flow].

Objective: To analyze the initial results of the use of an organic tubular graft for systemic-pulmonary anastomoses.

Methods: From March 2002 to April 2003, 10 patients underwent systemic-pulmonary shunt of the modified Blalock-Taussig type, using a new type of biological graft originating from the bovine mesenteric artery treated with polyglycol, the so-called L-D-Hydro. The patients' ages ranged from 3 days to 7 years, and 60% of them were of the male sex.