Prosthetic creation of a double outlet left ventricle: clinical experience of five cases

Five clinical cases were treated with the implantation of an apical-aortic conduit. Two adult patients were affected by obstructive myocardiopathy associated to subaortic membrane in one case, and three children by different forms of aortic stenosis (subaortic tunnel in one case; subaortic tunnel associated to severe coartation of the thoracic aorta in one case; aortic annulus hypoplasia in one case). A double outlet left ventricle has been created in all cases by implanting a composite prosthesis between the apex by implanting a composite prosthesis between the apex of the left ventricle and the aorta. The extracardiac conduit consisted of an apical curved connector and a valved dacron tubular prosthesis. The site of implantation was the supraceliac abdominal aorta in three cases and the ascending aorta in two cases. All patients survived the operation and one late mortality was observed for cerebral bleeding. The surviving patients have been restudied with satisfactory data.