Background: Truncus arteriosus is a rare congenital heart defect resulting from the failure of the truncus arteriosus to divide during fetal development. It leads to a single outflow tract from the heart and, if left untreated, can be fatal. Late presentation and repair can also increase the risk of pulmonary hypertensive crises, which can lead to morbidity and mortality after repair. Methods: We performed a retrospective study examining outcomes of late-presenting patients who were repaired for this anomaly at our institution. Results: We identified seven patients who underwent late repair of truncus arteriosus who were 3 to 11 years of age. There were six females and one male. Postoperatively, all patients showed improvement in symptoms and hemodynamic parameters, with no reported mortality. The median duration of stay in the intensive care unit was nine days and with a range from 3 to 18 days, while the median hospital stay was 29 days with a range from 21 to 60 days. Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential for successful outcomes even in cases of delayed diagnosis.
Keywords: congenital heart defect; congenital heart surgery; pulmonary vascular resistance; truncus arteriosus.