[The surgical treatment of congenital heart defects in neonates and infants without using invasive study methods].

Echocardiographic analysis of 328 closed operations for aortic coarctation, patent ductus arteriosus, and congenital heart disease of the blue type with lower pulmonary flow in infants of the first year of life revealed diagnostic errors in 6 (2%) patients, this resulting in death of two patients. Surgery for congenital heart disease, which is based on the echocardiographic data without invasive diagnostic methods, requires proper patient selection. Quantitative two dimensional echocardiography allowed for higher accuracy of the preoperative diagnosis. Introduction of Doppler echocardiography made it possible to perform successful operations with assisted circulation in 16 patients for ventricular septal defects, atrial septal defect, transposition of great arteries, atrioventricular communication.