Fig. 1

Patient flow chart. Group A: left to right shunt CHD; Group B: left obstructive lesion CHD; Group C: right to left shunt CHD; Group D: complex mixed defect CHD; Group E: other CHD. Reasons for exclusion (F) were portal vein-hepatic artery fistula (1 case), atrial benign tumor (8 cases), infectious endocarditis with neoplasms (32 cases), prolonged (chronic) myocarditis (1 case), persistent fetal circulation (1 case), constrictive pericarditis (1 case), atrial thrombus (1 case), congenital paralysis (1 case), ascending aortic aneurysm (1 case), endometrial fibrosis (1 case), third-degree atrioventricular block (1 case), explosive myocarditis (2 cases), and mediastinal benign tumors (1 case)