Complete endocardial cushion defect: the late result of repair using the single-patch technique

Twenty-two patients have been followed for between 1 and 105 months after repair of a complete endocardial cushion defect. The mean period of follow-up is 3.5 years. The single-patch technique was used in every patient. The mitral valve was repaired with buttressed sutures in those seen more recently. The mean age at the time of operation was 15 months. Early in this experience, 4 patients had severe mitral valve incompetence after an initially satisfactory repair. In none of those patients had the mitral valve been repaired with pledgeted sutures. Two of those patients survived reoperation, and 2 died before a second operation could be performed. Every mitral valve is now repaired with pledgeted sutures, and there have been no failures of the mitral valve reconstruction. Each patient has been followed by the same pediatric cardiologist every 6 to 12 months after operation. The vast majority (17 of 20) are asymptomatic. Twelve have no mitral valve incompetence, and the remainder have only trivial or mild incompetence. Clinically, the pulmonary artery hypertension has resolved in 19 of 20 patients. Each patient remains in normal sinus rhythm. The long-term results following repair of complete endocardial cushion defect with the single-patch technique are excellent, but pledgeted sutures should be used in the mitral valve repair to insure its integrity.