RESUMO
Right ventricular function was regularly assessed pre- and postoperatively by measuring right systolic time intervals at the aortic valve in 21 children with complete transposition of the great arteries. Twenty children underwent "physiological" surgical correction (Senning procedure) and one child with right ventricular hypokinesia underwent detransposition of the arteries. The mean value of the right ventricular pre ejection/ejection period ratio was 0.40 +/- 0.05; this was independent of age and no significant difference was observed between the pre- and postoperative periods (0.41 +/- 0.06 vs 0.39 +/- 0.04) at least with a maximum follow-up of 5 years. This index allows early diagnosis of right ventricular dysfunction and therefore helps to orientate the choice between "physiological" or "anatomical" surgical correction.