[Long-term (10 to 23 years) clinical evaluation of quality of life in patients following open heart repair of tetralogy of Fallot].

The quality of life of 78 patients out of 79 (99% follow-up rate) was evaluated 10 to 23 years following intracardiac repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Mean age at operation was 6 years of age. Their present ages ranged from 12 to 35, averaging 21 years old. Eighty three percent of patients are assessed to be in good quality of life so far in terms of physical development, life style, CTR values, Ekg findings and so on. Pregnancy and delivery in 5 patients were uneventful. On the other hand, 17% showed various degree of morbidity including significant residua necessitating reoperation in 3 patients, complications such as complete A-V Block requiring pacemaker implantation in 7 and sequela like postoperative life threatening cardiomyopathy in 3. There were 2 deaths due to this sequela comprising 2.6% of mortality rate. Although excellent results are reported in recent years, further efforts will be necessary to minimize residuum, complication and sequela after surgery especially for this particular disease with broad morphological spectrum.