Pericardial-mechanical valved conduits in the management of right ventricular outflow tracts. Preliminary report

Over the 3 year period from 1980 to 1982, mechanical prosthetic valves were implanted in the pulmonary pathway in seven patients. In two the procedure was a pulmonary valve replacement. In two it was an implantation of a pulmonary valve with transannular pericardial patching, and in three, complete pericardial (tube) conduits, which included mechanical valves, were constructed. There were neither perioperative nor late complications. Four patients were recatheterized. In three residual right ventricular hypertension was observed. In one of the three the cause of obstruction was not verified, but in the remaining two it was unrelated to the mechanical valve. No thromboembolic phenomena were observed.