Objective To investigate the effect and incidence of residual leakage after surgical repair of large ventricular septal defects with moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension using cross-linkage mattress suture, a suture method invented by us, as compared with interrupted mattress suture. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 41 patients of large ventricular septal defect with moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension underwent surgery using cross-linkage mattress suture in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from February 2011 through April 2013. The 41 patients were as a cross-linkage group (average age 18.7±12.3 years, the ratio of male to female 31:10). Another 41 patients, who were repaired using interrupted mattress suture, were retrospectively chosen by matching age, size and location of the defects, pulmonary artery pressure and vascular resistance with members from the cross-linkage group, and were assigned as a control group (average age 17.4±11.8 years, the ratio of male to female 31:10). Results There was no operative mortality and no new perioperative atrioventricular conduction block. Postoperative echocardiography revealed the incidence of residual leakage was 31.7% (13/41) in the control group, 0% (0/41) in the cross-linkage group with a statistical difference (χ²=13.164, P=0.000). With a follow-up of 18.2±6.1 months, no late death and no new atrioventricular conduction block occurred. There was no statistical difference in New York Heart Association functional class or pulmonary artery pressure measured through echocardiography between the two groups. While there was a statistical difference in incidence of residual leakage between the the cross-linkage group and the control group (0% (0/41) versus 26.8% (11/41), χ²=10.499, P=0.001). Conclusion There is a high incidence of residual leakage after the surgical repair of large ventricular septal defect complicated with moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension using interrupted mattress suture, while the use of cross-linkage mattress suture can effectively reduce the incidence of residual leakage.

Citation： GANHui-li, ZHANGJian-qun, FENGLei, SUNJian-chao, WANGSheng-xun, BOPing, ZHOUQi-Wen. A Cross-Linkage Mattress Suture to Repair Large Ventricular Septal Defect with Moderate to Severe Pulmonary Hypertension. Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2016, 23(3): 234-238. doi: 10.7507/1007-4848.20160056 Copy