Left ventricular morphometric estimation of the coarctation complex in the first year of life.

Coarctation complex is a serious congenital cardiovascular malformation in infants. It is associated with severe congestive cardiac overload and high mortality even after surgical treatment. To investigate left ventricular performance, quantitative morphometry and histometry of the left ventricle were carried out in 19 autopsied patients who died without surgical intervention. The following results were obtained: 1. Coarctation of the aorta was found to selectively affect the left ventricle, showing a volume overload response without effectively adapting to the pressure overload; the right ventricle showed a significant reaction to the pressure overload. 2. The coronary arterioles responded to the pressure load in the left ventricle. In order to promptly recover left ventricular function, simple coarctectomy without VSD closure or other procedures is advisable for treatment of the coarctation complex in the early months of life.