Long-term results after right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with porcine and allograft conduits

From 1975 to 1989, a total of 353 patients were operated for complex cardiac malformations with impaired pulmonary artery perfusion using 53 non-valved and 300 valved right heart to pulmonary artery conduits. In 108 patients a porcine conduit (Hancock or Carpentier-Edwards) 12-30 mm was used; the age range was 14 days to 37 years (mean 4.3 years) and body weight 2.9-68 kg (mean 15.3 kg). One hundred and ninety-two patients had an allograft of 9-29 mm implanted at the age of 17 days to 26 years (mean 3.8 years), body weight 2.7-73 kg (mean 14.2 kg). So far, 32 of the porcine valved conduits have had to be exchanged 2.5-10.5 years (mean 6.1 +/- 2.1 years) after the first implantation. In 3 patients, reoperated before 1982, another porcine valved conduit was used. After 1982, 29 exchanges were all performed using allografts. The main reason for xenograft conduit malfunction was degeneration and/or calcification of the valves. Some conduits, however, with rather small sizes of 12 and 14 mm had to be exchanged in spite of still sufficient function because the children had "outgrown" the conduit and needed a bigger one. Out of 192 patients with allografts implanted since 1982, so far 5 patients have had to be reoperated 2 months to 6 years (mean 4.6 +/- 2.8 years) after the first operation. The causes of allograft failure were degeneration and, in one case, infection of the conduit. Even though allografts seem to be the conduit of choice for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)