Objective: Since 1985, we have implanted handmade tri-leaflet conduits made of heterologous pericardium or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), as an alternative to homograft for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction. This report assesses the long-term outcome of these prostheses.
Methods: From 1985 to 2003, 216 handmade tri-leaflet conduits were implanted in 191 patients. Forty-two patients had previous conduit repairs. The mean age at operation was 8.1+/-7.7 years (range: 15 days-44 years). The underlying diagnoses were pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect in 83 patients, atrioventricular discordance in 36, transposition of the great arteries in 26, double outlet right ventricle in 14, and truncus arteriosus in 17. Whole heterologous pericardial tri-leaflet conduits were implanted in 169 patients, in the early series (porcine: 85; equine: 58; bovine: 26); bovine pericardial conduits containing ePTFE leaflets were implanted in 26 patients since 1996; whole ePTFE tri-leaflet rolls were employed in the most recent 21 patients. The conduit size was 21.1+/-3.1mm (range: 12-27 mm), 147.4+/-21.4% (range: 82.6-202.6%) of the anticipated diameter of the pulmonary valve. Follow-up was complete.
Results: There were 28 early deaths and 24 late deaths. The indication for conduit replacement was a peak instantaneous pressure gradient of greater than 50 mmHg. Sixty-five conduits required reoperation for conduit obstruction at 8.6+/-3.3 years after implantation. The freedom from reoperation at 5, 10, and 15 years was 93.9+/-1.9, 61.4+/-4.5, and 35.5+/-5.6%, respectively. Patients with smaller conduit size and young age at operation were predisposed to reoperation. None of the 47 ePTFE tri-leaflet conduits developed significant obstruction. The freedom from important pulmonary valve regurgitation (PR) as assessed by echocardiography was 68.3+/-3.7% at 5 years, 33.0+/-4.5% at 10 years, and 21.6+/-4.9% at 15 years. No patient required reoperation due to PR or right ventricular dysfunction.
Conclusions: Handmade tri-leaflet conduits provide a reliable alternative for RVOT reconstruction in children, yielding as good a long-term outcome as do homografts. Longer follow-up is needed to determine how well ePTFE leaflets will fare.