Methods: A total of 37 patients were operated for PAPVC associated with or without atrial septal defect (ASD) between 1985 and May 2001. Eleven patients were male and 26 were female. The mean age was 20.7 ± 13.5 years (range, 2 to 65 years). Minithoracotomy was performed in three patients and submammarian approach in one patient. The type of ASD was sinus venosus in 22 patients and fossa ovalis in 11 patients. Atrial septal defect was not found in four patients (10.8%) and iatrogenic ASD was formed in these patients. Atrial septal defect was closed using a pericardial patch in 26 patients (70.3%) and using a synthetic patch in the rest of the patients.

Results: Hospital mortality was 5.4% with two patients due to congestive heart failure. Early term complications were transient complete atrioventricular block in one patient and low cardiac output syndrome in one patient. No patient died in the late postoperative period. There was not statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative echocardiographic findings (atrial and ventricular diameters, pulmonary artery pressure, ejection fraction). Long-term life expectancy was 94.6% ± 3.7% for 13.5 years.

Conclusions: Early and long-term results of the surgical repair of PAPVC are acceptable. Late-term pulmonary venous obstruction was not detected echocardiographically in successfully operated patients.