Background: This study investigated the outcomes of biventricular repair using right ventricle to pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduit placement in patients aged <1 year. Methods: Patients aged <1 year who underwent biventricular repair using an RV-PA conduit between 2011 and 2020 were included in this study. The outcomes of interest were death from any cause, conduit reintervention, and conduit dysfunction (peak velocity of ≥3.5 m/sec or moderate or severe regurgitation). Results: In total, 141 patients were enrolled. The median age at initial conduit implantation was 6 months. The median conduit diameter z-score was 1.3. The overall 5-year survival rate was 89.6%. In the multivariable analysis, younger age (p=0.006) and longer cardiopulmonary bypass time (p=0.001) were risk factors for overall mortality. During follow-up, 61 patients required conduit reintervention, and conduit dysfunction occurred in 68 patients. The 5-year freedom from conduit reintervention and dysfunction rates were 52.9% and 45.9%, respectively. In the multivariable analysis, a smaller conduit z-score (p<0.001) was a shared risk factor for both conduit reintervention and dysfunction. Analysis of variance demonstrated a nonlinear relationship between the conduit z-score and conduit reintervention or dysfunction. The hazard ratio was lowest in patients with a conduit z-score of 1.3 for reintervention and a conduit z-score of 1.4 for dysfunction. Conclusion: RV-PA conduit placement can be safely performed in infants. A significant number of patients required conduit reintervention and had conduit dysfunction. A slightly oversized conduit with a z-score of 1.3 may reduce the risk of conduit reintervention or dysfunction.
Untreated severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is associated with poor outcomes. Functional TR occurs secondary to dilatation of the annulus and tethering of the leaflets. Ring annuloplasty alone can correct most cases, but is insufficient in cases of severe annular dilatation due to severe leaflet tethering. In such cases, a tricuspid edge-to-edge technique may be an option. However, stitching of the leaflet tips alone is likely to result in tearing of the leaflets. Approximation of the durable chordae tendineae is considered helpful for this problem. Herein, we present the case of a 39-year-old man who had undergone openheart surgery for acute type A aortic dissection 13 months earlier. A right mini-thoracotomy approach with a beating-heart strategy was used, which did not require unnecessary pericardial adhesiolysis and dissection. This technique had the advantage of reducing the operation time and the risk of bleeding. To summarize, we present a case of tricuspid valve repair in a high-risk patient with severe leaflet tethering that was successfully managed using these methods.
