Following up adult patients with tetralogy of fallot: The role of echocardiography

• Published in: Journal of clinical ultrasound Vol. 45; no. 2; pp. 79 - 95
• Main Authors: Daraban, Ana Maria, Jurcuţ, Ruxandra, Bădilă, Elisabeta, Bartoş, Daniela, Dan, Gheorghe Andrei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.02.2017
• Subjects: Adult; Aftercare - methods; echocardiography; Echocardiography - methods; follow‐up; Heart Ventricles - abnormalities; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Heart Ventricles - physiopathology; Humans; pulmonary valve; Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency - diagnostic imaging; Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency - etiology; tetralogy of Fallot; Tetralogy of Fallot - diagnostic imaging; Tetralogy of Fallot - physiopathology; Tetralogy of Fallot - surgery; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; pulmonary valve; follow-up; adult; tetralogy of Fallot; echocardiography
• ISSN: 0091-2751; 1097-0096
• DOI: 10.1002/jcu.22411

ABSTRACT Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is one of the most common cyanotic congenital heart diseases. With surgical repair and the advances in postoperative care, contemporary mortality has dramatically improved and an increasing number of patients survive into adulthood, leading to a growing number of adult TOF. However, residual anatomic and hemodynamic abnormalities are encountered in nearly all patients, making follow‐up mandatory. Furthermore, mortality starts to increase 25 years after surgery, emphasizing that, in adult TOF, closer monitoring is necessary. We review here the role of echocardiography in the follow‐up of the TOF patients, emphasizing the role of multiple echocardiographic techniques. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:79–95, 2017;