Mid- to long-term surgical outcomes of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection

To investigate mid- to long-term morbidity and mortality after the repair of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connections (PAPVCs).

We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 29 consecutive patients who underwent surgery in 1991-2010 at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital. Median follow-up period: 9.9 years. Median age at operation: 7.4 years. Median body weight: 22.4 kg. Right PAPVC (n = 23), left-PAPVC (n = 5), and mixed PAPVC (n = 1) were identified.

In the 14 patients with a right upper pulmonary vein (PV) connected to the superior vena cava (SVC) and/or cavo-atrial junction, the following were performed: single-patch diversion (n = 6), double-patch diversion (n = 4), Warden procedure (n = 1), and atrial septation with the atrial wall (n = 3). In the nine patients with a right anomalous PV connected to the right atrium (RA) and/or coronary sinus, intra-atrial rerouting was performed (n = 7) and translocation of the atrial septum (n = 2). Intra-atrial rerouting of the left upper and lower PVs to the coronary sinus (n = 1) and direct anastomosis of the left upper PV to the left atrial appendage (n = 4) were performed. Double-patch diversion and direct anastomosis of the left upper PV to the left atrial appendage was performed in a patient with mixed PAPVC. There were no post-operative deaths or reoperations, although transient sinus node dysfunction occurred (n = 2 with atrial septation and intra-atrial rerouting), while mild stenosis of the SVC occurred (n = 1 with double-patch diversion).

The various methods which we used for PAPVC repair all appear to have reasonable outcomes, although rhythm disturbance and stenotic complications were confirmed in a few patients.