This book addresses the most technically demanding but life-changing techniques in the
treatment of conotruncal heart defects as many repairs are performed on small infants. Each
chapter reviews surgical anatomy (the anatomical classification that the surgeon is using)
preoperative evaluation (the surgeon's check list before doing the surgery) and surgical
techniques (clear drawings and videos minimal text). It is an essential reference book for
newly qualified surgeons when performing these complex cases. Conotruncal heart defects (CTHDs)
are a group of complex congenital anomalies of the cardiovascular system that are a major cause
of symptomatic cardiac disease at birth. They may account for up to 30% of all congenital
cardiac anomalies. In many instances patients with CTHD are symptomatic in the first days or
weeks of life with severe cyanosis or heart failure requiring surgery in the neonatal period
or in infancy. Most CHTD are today diagnosed in utero by fetal ultrasound. CHTDs are usually
defined as malformations of the cardiac outflow tracts and presumably result in disturbance in
the development of the cono-truncal apparatus of the embryonic heart as well as of the
primitive aortic arches. CTHDs include the following: truncus arteriosus tetralogy of Fallot
double outlet right (or left) ventricle transposition of the arteries corrected transposition
of the great arteries interrupted aortic arch. The outcomes of CHTD surgery has considerably
improved in the past 20 years with quite fascinating innovations.
