Long-term outcome in double-chambered right ventricle: a retrospective single-center study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Congenital Heart Disease

Background:

• Double-chambered right ventricle (DCRV) is a rare congenital heart defect characterized by right ventricular obstruction.
• It often co-occurs with other cardiac anomalies like ventricular septal defects.
• Long-term prognosis after treatment for DCRV is not well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term outcomes of patients diagnosed with DCRV.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of surgical and conservative management strategies.
• To assess clinical stability and identify potential long-term complications.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 90 DCRV patients with follow-up data spanning from 1980 to 2023.
• Analysis included demographic, clinical, echocardiographic, and electrical parameters.
• Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize findings.

Main Results:

• 70% of patients underwent surgery, primarily in early childhood, with a low reintervention rate (7.9%).
• Conduction disorders (42%) and arrhythmias (6.8%) were observed, but 83% remained in NYHA class I.
• Persistent RV hypertrophy was noted in 35.7%, with mild valve regurgitations; mortality was 4.4% over 7 decades.

Conclusions:

• DCRV patients generally exhibit favorable long-term outcomes with both surgical and conservative treatments.
• Despite potential echocardiographic and electrical abnormalities, most patients maintain clinical stability.
• The study highlights the generally positive prognosis for individuals with double-chambered right ventricle.