Early Re-intervention in Infants and Small Children After Correction of Tetralogy of Fallot

Tetralogy of Fallot is one of the most frequent congenital heart malformations. In many cases re-interventions, surgical or catheter-based, are necessary after the repair of tetralogy of Fallot in infancy. At present, informations in the literature about the myocardial benefit and the timing of re-interventions are missing in this age group. On the other hand, Fallot patients are dependent on solid criteria for re-interventions, because further interventions like replacement of the pulmonary valve or balloon dilatations of peripheral pulmonary stenoses are common. The objective of this study is to assess the benefit of such interventions for the right ventricular function. By performing extensive standardised examinations (including MRI, echocardiography, tissue Doppler,,3D-echocardiography, holter monitoring and quality of life assessments) before and 6 to 9 months after the re-intervention data of the right ventricular function are collected. Based on these quantitative data predictive parameters concerning the right ventricular recovery and information about the time of re-intervention should be determined.