[Primary reconstruction of the common truncus arteriosus in infants, using modified pulmonary homograft]

Truncus arteriosus communis (TAC) is a complex heart disease, it presents 1% of the congenital heart defects. A 7 weeks old infant with cardiac failure was operated on with TAC. The bicuspidized (14 mm diameter) pulmonary homograft valved conduit was used to reconstruct the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). The sternum closure was delayed. The important points of the indications for the surgical management of TAC: 1. Management or prevention of the pulmonary hypertensive crisis. 2. Patient's age. 3. Reconstruction of the RVOT (choices: homograft, dacron valve conduit, autologous pericardial valve conduit, porcine aortic root, direct anastomosis of the pulmonary trunc to the right ventricle). The surgical management is based on the optimal combination of these three important points. This is the first successfully performed primary surgical repair of an infant with TAC using modified pulmonary homograft in Hungary.