Alternative techniques for surgical management of recoarctation

To evaluate the different surgical options in patients with recoarctation and minimal collaterals.

Thirty-three cases operated on between January 1980 and January 1995 were reviewed. Initial repair was end-to-end anastomosis in 16 patients, subclavian artery aortoplasty in 10, synthetic patch aortoplasty in 4 and bypass conduit in 3 patients. Age at reoperation was 7.5 +/- 5.2 years (1-17 years). Pressure gradient was 20-48 Torr (33 +/- 9). Upper extremity resting or exercise systemic hypertension was present in all. In 18 patients recoarctation was repaired using subclavian artery aortoplasty (n = 15) or synthetic patch aortoplasty (n = 3); alone in 9, with temporary heparinized bypass in 2, or in addition to placement of ascending aorta to descending aorta conduit as a permanent bypass through a left thoracotomy in 9. In 13 patients a conduit was interposed between ascending aorta and descending aorta through a right thoracotomy. In one patient recoarctation segment was patched on cardiopulmonary bypass through a midsternotomy.

There was no mortality or complications. All patients had no echocardiographic pressure gradients across recoarctation on 5 +/- 3.4 years follow-up. Persistent systemic hypertension following recoarctation repair was present in 3/8 patients (37%) operated on at age greater than 10 years, but has been resolved in all 25 patients less than 10 years of age (P = 0.02).

Use of ascending aorta to descending aorta conduit, either alone through a right thoracotomy, or as permanent bypass in combination with patching the recoarctation through a left thoracotomy provides safe and excellent relief of obstruction.