Abstract

Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collaterals (PA/VSD/MAPCAs) is a complex form of congenital heart defect. There are limited data regarding late hemodynamics of patients after repair of PA/VSD/MAPCAs. This study evaluated the hemodynamics of patients who underwent complete repair of PA/VSD/MAPCSs and subsequently returned for a conduit change.This was a retrospective review of 80 children undergoing a right ventricle (RV)-to-pulmonary artery conduit replacement after complete repair of PA/VSD/MAPCAs. All patients underwent preoperative cardiac catheterization to define the cardiac physiology. Patients were an average age of 6.5±1.2 years, and the average interval between complete repair and conduit change was 4.5±1.1 years.The preoperative cardiac catheterization demonstrated an average RV right peak systolic pressure of 70±22 mm Hg and pulmonary artery pressure of 38±14 mm Hg. This pressure gradient of 32 mm Hg reflects the presence of conduit obstruction. After conduit change, the intraoperative RV systolic pressure was 34±8 mm Hg, similar to 36±9 mm Hg at the conclusion of the previous complete repair. The corresponding RV/aortic pressure ratios were 0.36±0.07 and 0.39±0.09, respectively.The data demonstrate that patients who underwent complete repair of PA/VSD/MAPCAs had nearly identical pulmonary artery pressures when they returned for conduit change some 4.5 years later. This finding indicates that the growth and development of the unifocalized pulmonary vascular bed is commensurate with visceral growth. We would hypothesize that complete repair, along with low RV pressures, will confer a long-term survival advantage.

View details for DOI 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2012.12.066

View details for PubMedID 23453744