Surgical correction of congenital cardiac defects in infants and children with an elevated pulmonary arterial pressure or pulmonary vascular resistance carries a significant early postoperative mortality. And accurate assessments of cardiac output is critically important in these patients. From April 1988 through September 1989, serial measurements of cardiac index, ratio of pulmonary-systemic systolic pressure, ratio of pulmonary-systemic resistance, central venous pressure, left atrial pressure, and urine output during the first 48 hours after the cardiac operation were made in 30 congenital cardiac defects associated with pulmonary hypertension. Cardiac index showed significant increase only after 24 hour postoperatively and this low cardiac performance in the early postoperative period should be considered when postoperative management is being planned in the risky patients. There were no variables which showed any significant correlation with cardiac index. In 12 cases[40%], pulmonary hypertensive crisis developed during the 48 hours postoperatively, and they were treated with full sedation, hyperventilation with 100 % 0y and pulmonary vasodilator infusion. In all patient with preoperative pulmonary hypertension, surgical placement of a pulmonary artery catheter is desirable to allow prompt diagnosis of pulmonary hypertensive crisis and to monitor subsequent therapy.