The definitive treatment for Tetralogy of Fallot requires surgical correction of the anatomical defects within the heart. This condition cannot be permanently resolved through medication or interventional cardiac catheterization; full correction is only possible with open-heart surgery. During the operation, the breastbone is opened, and the heart is stopped with the support of a heart-lung machine. The septal defect in the heart is closed, and the narrowing in the right ventricular outflow tract is relieved. In some cases, the use of an artificial vessel may be necessary.
However, in infants or children with severely narrowed pulmonary arteries, interventional valve or ductal stent placements can provide short-term relief. These methods are temporary solutions, and definitive, full correction requires open-heart surgery.