Structural changes of pulmonary vessels in congenital cyanotic heart disease patients depending on age, type and service life of system-pulmonary anastomoses

The purpose of this study is to analyze structural/ morphological changes in cyanotic heart disease patients occurring at different stages after system-pulmonary anastomoses. A group of 100 patients with Fallot tetrade, who died in the early follow-up after definitive repair over a period from 1985 to 2005, was used as the main CHD model with insufficient blood flow in the pulmonary circuit. The results obtained demonstrate that aortic-pulmonary anastomoses more «aggressively» affect the aortic-pulmonary bloodstream causing hypertensive changes already in the first year of their service, with the latter featuring greater or lesser symmetry in both lungs. More «sparing» to the pulmonary arteries are subclavian pulmonary anastomoses. However, to properly expand the pulmonary bloodstream, it takes these anastomoses a longer time of service (1-2 years). In addition, there is a considerable spread at various stages of structural changes in both lungs.