Between September 1986, and August 1989, eight infants underwent operation for repair of coarctation of the aorta in the first year of life. The patients included 7 males and 1 female ranging in age 19 days and 9 months. Weights ranged from 3.5 Kg to 7 Kg [mean 5 Kg]. All patients had preductal coarctation of the aorta. Each infant had associated cardiac anomalies, including ventricular septal defect [7 infants] and patent ductus arteriosus [5 infants]. All had intractable congestive heart failure, despite aggressive medical therapy. Pressure gradient across the coarctation ranged from 10 mmHg to 60 mmHg. Operative techniques were subclavian flap aortoplasty in five cases, Gore-Tex patch aortoplasty in three cases. In addition to coarctation repair, six infants had concomitant banding of the pulmonary artery. Four infants required ventilator support for several days. There was no operative death. Complications developed in two. One infant had tracheal stenosis after a tracheostomy. Another infant had restenosis of the aorta revealed by cardiac catheterization 30 months after surgery. The pressure gradient was 30 mmHg, necessitating balloon dilatation aortoplasty. Results were satisfactory. During follow up, we performed total correction procedures [patch closure of the ventricular septal defect, infundibulectomy, pulmonary valvotomy and pulmonary artery angioplasty] in one case. Continuing follow-up finds all patients in good condition.