An Alternative Non-Conduit Repair Strategy for Tetralogy of Fallot With Short Segment Pulmonary Atresia

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with pulmonary atresia is a subset in which it becomes imperative to use an artificial conduit in most cases. The atresia of the pulmonary artery can occur at various levels and be of variable lengths. For long segment pulmonary atresia, a right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit is unavoidable in patients otherwise suitable for complete bi-ventricular repair with no major aortopulmonary collaterals, based on McGoon and Nakata indices. However, for patients with membranous pulmonary atresia and short segment atresia of the main pulmonary artery, we describe an alternative technique that avoids the use of handmade conduits or bovine jugular vein grafts and utilizes the concept of a monocusp with restoration of continuity from the right ventricular infundibulum to the distal main pulmonary artery. A seven-year-old girl diagnosed with TOF and pulmonary atresia underwent a right ventriculotomy with ventricular septal defect closure. The narrowed outflow tract was widened, and an anastomosis was made directly between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. A monocusp was fashioned from autologous pericardium, and the pulmonary artery was reconstructed using bovine pericardium. In TOF with pulmonary atresia, conventional surgery typically uses a valved conduit to connect the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) to the pulmonary artery. However, in cases like ours, direct anastomosis is possible due to a long confluent pulmonary segment. This alternative technique eliminates the need for an artificial conduit and may prevent associated problems. It also allows for potential growth of the neo-annulus and pulmonary segment. The risk of reoperation remains due to possible monocusp failure.