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Updated: Jul 5, 2026
Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
Published on: February 8, 2022
Long-term follow-up after repair of Ebstein's anomaly
Meindert Palmen1, Peter L de Jong, Loes M A Klieverik
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Thoraxcentre, Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. meindert_palmen@hotmail.com <meindert_palmen@hotmail.com>
Objective:
We studied the long-term results of vertical plication repair of Ebstein's anomaly according to Carpentier.
Methods:
Between 1988 and 2007, 28 patients (mean age 28.8+/-15.7 years, range 4-58 years) underwent vertical plication repair of Ebstein's anomaly. At operation the anomaly was classified according to Carpentier. In three patients (11%) a cavopulmonary shunt was added at the repair on the indication of impaired right ventricular function.
Results:
There was no operative mortality. Early mortality was 3.6% (one patient). Actuarial survival and actuarial freedom from reoperation at 19 years were 96% (95% CI; 96-97%) and 72% (95% CI; 53-92%), respectively. Six patients required reoperation, with a successful re-repair in three patients. Mean duration of follow-up was 10.7+/-6.5 years. One year postoperatively, tricuspid incompetence had decreased significantly (p<0.001), as had New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (p<0.001). In addition, exercise tolerance had increased (70+/-19% to 92+/-9% of predicted values, p<0.05). Both tricuspid function and NYHA functional class remained essentially unchanged at the end of follow-up, indicating durable haemodynamic and functional results.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrates favourable long-term results following vertical plication repair of Ebstein's anomaly with low mortality, acceptable morbidity and good haemodynamic and functional results.
