Early Outcome of Simplified Standardized Trileaflet Polytetrafluoroethylene Valved Conduit Placement

Use of the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) valved conduit in the pulmonary position during the correction of congenital heart defects has significantly increased in popularity over the last decade due to its promising conduit longevity. We describe the standardized process to create and implant a trileaflet ePTFE pulmonary conduit along with the early outcomes of such procedures at our institute.

Records of 100 consecutive patients who underwent ePTFE valved conduit placement using our technique from April 2018 through February 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The function of the conduit was evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography.

The mean age of the patients was 28 ± 13.2 years old at the time of the operation. The conduit diameters ranged from 16 to 24 mm (mean 23.0 ± 1.9 mm). Conduit placement was utilized for pulmonary valve replacement in 68 patients, conduit change in 25 patients, and as a part of total repair in 7 patients. There were 2 in-hospital conduit-unrelated deaths from multi-organ dysfunction and pulmonary hypertensive crisis. From the postoperative echocardiography, the average peak pressure gradient across the conduit was 18.6 ± 9.0 mm Hg, and the conduit regurgitation was graded as none or trace in 81 patients, mild in 17 patients, and moderate in 2 patients. At 589 days of median follow-up, there was no conduit reoperation. Follow-up imaging of 60 available patients at a median time of 511 days did not show a significant change in conduit function.

Our standardized ePTFE valved conduit creation and placement demonstrated satisfactory clinical and echocardiographic outcomes.