Surgical Management of Tetralogy of Fallot: In Defense of the Infundibulum

Surgical treatment of the Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) is one of the great successes of medicine and also a topic of controversy. Different strategies have been proposed, including age-based (neonatal) management strategies as well as anatomic-based management strategies. Regardless of the management strategy entailed, the surgical management of ToF has considerably evolved over the years. As a result, patients can now expect excellent early results with survival approaching 100% for those without genetic syndromes. The goals of current surgical therapy should be to mitigate the late right ventricular (RV) dysfunction that may occur by minimizing the extent of surgical injury during the intial repair. As the surgical techniques continue to advance, the outcomes will continue to improve.