Effect of Surgical Closure of Ventricular Septal Defect on Ventricular Systolic Time Intervals

Lee, Hyun Kyung; Lee, Young Hwan; Lee, Jang Hoon; Kim, Do Hyung; Baek, Jong Hyun; Lee, Dong Hyup; Lee, Jung Cheul; Han, Sung Sae; Jung, Tae Eun

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken in infant patients with isolated ventricular septal defect(VSD) to determine the effect of surgical closure on ventricular systolic time interval, as a parameter for ventricular performance, by echocardiography. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirty patients were enrolled. Mean age of patients at operation was 6.5+/-3.2 months and all patients had non-restrictive VSD. We checked the left atrium/aorta(LA/Ao) ratio, left ventricle ejection fraction(EF), left ventricular systolic time interval(LVSTI), and right ventricular systolic time interval(RVSTI). Echocardiographic studies were done before surgical correction and postoperative periods(postop1: within 2 weeks, postop2: between 4 and 6 months, postop3: between 1 and 2 years). RESULT: LA/Ao ratio decreased significantly at immediate postoperative period compared to preoperative period and sustained during further follow-up period(from 1.74+/-0.37 to 1.36+/-0.24*, 1.32+/-0.22*, and 1.27+/-0.19*, p<0.01 ). LV EF had not changed during follow-up periods(from 65.1+/-7.0 to 62.3+/-9.5, 62.8+/-5.7, and 64.1+/-6.9). LVSTI decreased significantly at postop2 and sustained during further follow-up period (from 0.46+/-0.13 to 0.46+/-0.11, 0.37+/-0.08*, and 0.34+/-0.07*, p<0.01 ). RVSTI decreased significantly at postop3(0.33+/-0.08 to 0.32+/-0.08, 0.31+/-0.07, and 0.27+/-0.05*, p<0.01).
CONCLUSION
We found that right and left ventricular systolic time intervals had decreased over the period of 1 year after surgical correction of VSD. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the change of ventricular function during that period.