Objetive: Analyze the use of video-assisted cardioscopy in congenital heart surgery. Methods: From September 1994 to June 1996, 8 patients with complex congenital heart defects were operated on using the video-assisted cardioscopy as an auxilliary method for surgical correction. Ages ranged from 5 to 13 years (mean-age 9.9 years). Results: The video-assisted intraoperative cardioscopy permitted in all cases a broad anatomic and dynamic visualization of the intracardiac structures before and after correction providing an assessment of the final results, while still on extracorporeal circulation. No intraoperative or postoperative complications related to the use of the video-assisted cardioscopy were noted. Conclusions: The video-assisted intraoperative cardioscopy proved valuable for pre and postoperative assessment of complex congenital heart defects.
Heart surgery; Heart defects; Cardioscopy
