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ASSESSMENT OF LABORATORY AND CLINICAL FEATURES 
OF PATIENTS WITH RIGHT VENTRICULAR OUTFLOW TRACT 
OBSTRUCTION AT CHORAY HOSPITAL 
Le Thanh Khanh Van*; Mai Van Vien**; Pham Tho Tuan Anh* 
 SUMMARY 
Objectives: To investigate laboratory and clinical characteristics of patients with right 
ventricular outflow tract obstruction at Choray Hospital. Subjects and methods: An prospective 
study of 75 patients, who were surgically corrected for right ventricular outflow tract obstruction 
at Choray Hospital during period of 2013 - 2017. Results: 75 patients (female: 62.7%, male: 
37.3%, age: 6 ± 15.5, BSA: 0.8 ± 0.5 m2) admitted to Choray Hospital during the period from 
2013 to 2017 with a definitive diagnosis of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction and resulting 
surgical relief of right ventricular outflow tract. Cyanosis was recorded in 85.3% of patients, 
clubbing in 28%, and tet spells in 10.7%. Patients who had preoperative dyspnea were reported 
to have of NYHA II in 80% and of NYHA III in 20%, the mean SpO2 of 84.4 ± 7.1%. 
Transpulmonary valve pressure gradient in transthoracic echocardiography was 89.8 ± 24.2 
mmHg, single right ventricular outflow tract obstruction 5.3%, right ventricular outflow tract 
obstruction with VSD 6.7%, right ventricular outflow tract obstruction with ASD 9.3%, tetralogy of 
Fallot 78.7%, laboratory results showed red blood cell count 5.9 ± 1.3 x 1012/L, mean 
hemoglobin 155 ± 30.2 g/L, hematocrite 48.4 ± 10%, platelet 267.8 ± 96.3 x 109/L. The mortality 
rate was 2.6% (2 cases). Conclusions: Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction is a congenital 
heart disease usually manifesting clinically early after birth. Cyanosis appears early and 
worsens when children grows up depending on the location and obstruction severity of the right 
ventricular outflow tract. Prompt diagnosis and treatment often yield a good prognosis. 
* Keywords: Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction; Tetralogy of Fallot; Pulmonary artery stenosis. 
INTRODUCTION 
Congenital right ventricular outflow 
tract (RVOT) obstruction may be occurred 
at the pulmonary valvular level, subvalvular 
level, supravalvular level or multiple levels. 
Isolated pulmonary stenosis occurs in 8% 
to 12% of all congenital heart defects. 
The physiologic consequences and the 
clinical presentation of the patient are 
dependent upon the degree and the 
location of the RVOT obstruction. Most 
patients are symptomatic with cyanosis at 
birth or shortly thereafter and the severity 
of cyanosis depends on the severity and 
the anatomic location of the obstruction. 
Cyanosis appears early, worsens with 
age and affects the cognitive and motor 
development. 
* Choray Hospital 
** 108 Central Military Hospital 
Corresponding author: Le Thanh Khanh Van (
[email protected]) 
 Date received: 13/07/2018 
 Date accepted: 30/08/2018 
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With development of modern medical 
techniques, congenital RVOT obstruction 
can be early detected and consequently. 
An appropriate strategy for management 
of patient will result in good outcomes. 
Therefore, we conducted a study: 
To assess the clinical and laboratory 
characteristics of the patients with the 
RVOT obstruction at Choray Hospital and 
determine an appropriate strategies of 
management. 
SUBJECTS AND METHODS 
1. Subjetcs. 
All patients were diagnosed with RVOT 
obstruction and treated at Choray Hospital 
in the 4 year period from 2013 to 2017, 
regardless of age, sex and occupation. 
2. Methods. 
 A prospective study of 75 patients 
who were surgically corrected for RVOT 
obstruction at Choray Hospital during 
2013 - 2017. Medical records had all 
necessary data required for research. All 
patients had been assessed the severity 
of dyspnea, the severity of heart failure, 
the anatomic location and severity of 
RVOT obstruction by physical examinations, 
laboratory tests and imaging. The severity 
of RVOT obstruction was assessed and 
compared with Z-score scale. 
* Data analysis: The research data was 
imported and processed by computerized 
statistical methods on computer with 
Microsoft Excel and Stata 12 software. 
RESULTS 
We recruited 75 patients (female: 
62.7%, male: 37.3%, age: 6 ± 15.5, BSA: 
0.8 ± 0.5 m2) admitted to Choray Hospital 
in the period from 2013 to 2017 with the 
diagnosis of RVOT obstruction. Patients 
were surgically corrected for RVOT 
obstruction depend upon the anatomic 
location and the degree of RVOT 
obstruction. The mortality rate was 2.6% 
(02 patients). In this study, 59 patients 
(78.7%) had tetralogy of Fallot, with ASD 
in 9.3% of cases and with VSD in 6.7% of 
cases, and the rest of patients (5.3% of 
cases) had isolated RVOT obstruction.
Table 1: Features of subjects. 
Index Median SD Min Max 
Age 6 15.5 1 47 
Weight (kg) 22 18.9 6.5 65 
BSA (m2) 0.8 0.5 0.3 1.7 
(SD: Standard deviation; Min: Minimum value; Max: Maximum value) 
Table 2: Preoperative clinical features of the patients (n = 75). 
 Features Frequency Rate (%) 
Cyanosis 64 85.3 
Clubbing 21 28 
Hypoxic spells 8 10.7 
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NYHA 
Degree I 0 0 
Degree II 60 80 
Degree III 15 20 
Table 3: Preoperative SpO2 of patients (n = 75). 
Index M SD Min Max 
Preoperative SpO2 84,4 7,1 70 99 
Table 4: Preoperative blood test (n = 75). 
Table 5: Preoperative Doppler echocardiography (n = 75). 
* Number of obstructive lesions of RVOT 
(n = 75): 
The majority of the patients had 
2 obstructive lesions (34 patients = 
45.3%), 24 patients (32%) had 3 
obstructive lesions and 17 patient (23.7%) 
had only 1 obstructive lesion. 
* Associated cardiac features (n = 75): 
 The incidence of tetralogy of Fallot 
patients was the highest (59 patients = 
78.7%), 7 patients (9.3%) had RVOT 
obstruction and ASD, 5 patients (6.7%) 
had RVOT obstruction and VSD, the 
rest of patients (4 patients = 5.3%) had 
isolated RVOT obstruction. 24 patients 
(32%) had patent foramen ovale, 
11 patients (14.7%) had tricuspid valve 
regurgitation. 
* The incidence of patients had previous 
bypass thoracic shunt: 
Yes: 7 patients (9.3%); no: 68 patients 
(90.7%). 
Index M Median SD Min Max 
Red blood cells (x 1012/L) 5.9 5.6 1.3 3.7 10.2 
Hemoglobine (g/L) 155 153 30.2 93.3 233 
Hct (%) 48.4 46.6 10 29.8 71.4 
Platelet (x 109/L ) 267.8 260 96.3 36 535 
Index M Median SD Min Max 
Gradient right ventricular pulmonary artery (mmHg) 89.8 90 24.2 41 174 
 Z score 
 PA -2.2 -1.7 2.6 -8.9 3.6 
 MPA -2.1 -2.2 2.8 -8.1 5.5 
 LPA 0.3 0.5 2.1 -6.3 5.8 
 RPA 0.3 0.3 1.7 -3.7 4.8 
 EF (%) 69.3 70 5.8 56 81 
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DISCUSSIONS 
Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction 
is a congenital heart defect which can be 
detected early at birth or thereafter 
whenever patients become symptomatic 
with cyanosis, dyspnea, chest discomfort, 
or palpitation. In addition, advances in 
diagnosis with modern imaging techniques 
such as cardiac echography, chest CT-
scan, cardiac MRI as well as other 
invasive techniques such as cardiac 
catheterization have a crucial role in early 
diagnosis of RVOT obstruction. These 
advanced tools can help to diagnose the 
location and the degree of RVOT 
obstruction adequately and completely. 
Thus, depending on the location and 
severity of RVOT obstruction, we can 
detail a strategic plan in surgical 
correction, as well as other supportive 
treatments. These supportive treatments 
can be a minimal invasive intervention 
such as relief of pulmonary artery 
stenosis by balloon dilation or a cardiac 
surgery such as intracardiac repair or 
palliative shunts, surgical pulmonary 
valvutomy, or widening the RVOT by 
placing a fabric patch. 
In our study, patients were presented 
to hospital with significant symptoms of 
RVOT obstruction. Cyanosis was recorded 
in 85.3% of patients, clubbing was 
recorded in 28%. This date was similar to 
those from Dang Thi Hai Van’s [4], 
Nguyen Thu Trang’s [3] study. Mean 
SpO2 in preoperative dyspneic patients of 
our study was 84.4 ± 7.1%. In addition, 
we used transthoracic echocardiography 
to estimate mean gradient across the 
RVOT obstruction and it was 89.8 ± 24.2 mmHg. 
Therefore, all patients in our study had 
surgical indication to widen RVOT. 
The pathology in our study is quite 
diverse as in Kirklin’s classic paper [5]: 
the highest incidence was RVOT 
obstruction in tetralogy of Fallot (78.7%), 
the next one was RVOT obstruction with 
ASD (9.3%), and the last one was RVOT 
obstruction with VSD (6.7%). Therefore, 
we had to repair all defects completely 
and adequately. 
In particular, we have identified the 
location and the number of obstructive 
lesions. Obstruction of RVOT at more 
than 2 locations was the majority (77.3%). 
This helped us to predict all difficulties 
that we would have to deal with during the 
operations and make detail plans to 
correct defects in a way fitting with 
physiology and anatomy of the heart. 
Cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic 
cross-clamping time would be longer and 
more likely to affect the recovery of 
patient at intensive care units. 
Preoperative blood tests of patients in 
the study showed an increase in red 
blood cells (5.9 ± 1.3 milion/L) and 
hemoglobine levels (155 ± 30.2 g/L). 
These results were similar to the results 
published previously. 
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CONCLUSIONS 
Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction 
is a congenital heart defect which clinical 
manifestations can be detected early 
after birth. Cyanosis appears early and 
worsens with aging and it is dependent 
upon the location and severity of the 
obstruction of RVOT. Early diagnosis and 
appropriate treatment will lead to good 
outcomes. 
REFERENCES 
1. Pediatric Treatment Regimen. Medical 
Publishing House. 2013, pp.578-579. 
2. Phan Kim Phuong, Nguyen Van Phan, 
Pham Nguyen Vinh. Results of intracardiac 
repair of tetralogy of Fallot recorded over 240 
cases at Hochiminh City. Institute of Hearts 
Hochiminh City. 1996, pp.116-117. 
3. Nguyen Thu Trang. Clinical and testing 
observations of tetralogy of Fallot disease in 
children treated at the Xanh Pon Hospital. 
Gradational Lecture of General Practitioner of 
Hanoi Medical University. 2005. 
4. Dang Thi Hai Van. Clinical and testing 
features of children with tetralogy of Fallot. 
Pediatric Journal. 2013, 6, 2. 
5. Kirklin, Barratt Boyes. Cardiac Surgery. 
Third edition. 2013, Vol 1, pp.41-45.