Early Results of Valved Bovine Jugular Vein Conduit for Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Reconstruction

Abstract

Objective

Many congenital cardiac anomalies present with accompanying severe right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction or interruption requiring surgical correction. RVOT reconstruction by means of a conduit is often necessary in the majority of these patients in the early years of life and there are several proposed conduits for this purpose.

Methods

Fourteen patients with different congenital cardiac pathologies underwent RVOT reconstruction with the newly developed bovine valved jugular vein conduit (The Contegra conduit). The function of the conduit is observed by echocardiographic examinations at the hospital discharge and at follow-up visits with special attention to the function of the venous valve and to any gradient on the RVOT.

Results

There were two perioperative mortalities. All the surviving patients are followed for a mean period of 8.07 months (range 2 to 33 months). The function of the venous valve was determined, in 4 patients (33.33%) as without regurgitation, in 7 patients (58.3%) as mild regurgitation and in 1 patient (8.33%) as mild-to-moderate regurgitation. The reconstructed RVOT was free of any significant gradient at the hospital discharge (mean 10.83 ±10.18 mmHg) and at the follow-ups (mean 12.916 ±12.33 mmHg). There was not a trend towards an increase in the gradients following discharge.

Conclusion

The early results of the Contegra valved conduit are very satisfactory. This graft can be a good alternative for RVOT reconstruction, particularly in the neonatal and infant patient group. These patients can be managed by homograft replacement of their conduit in later years.