Objective To assess clinical results of three different conduit materials （Gore-Tex synthetic graft，bovinejugular vein and autologous pericardium）for palliative right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery （RV-PA） shunt，and explore the correlation between suitable conduit size and patients’ body weight and McGoon ratio. Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 24 patients with congenital heart diseases who underwent palliative RV-PA shunt in Department of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery of Fu Wai Cardiovascular Hospital from July 2010 to July 2012. There were 11 males and 13 females with their age ranging from 60 days to 6 years and body weight of 10.22±7.41 kg. There were 22 patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect （PAVSD），1 patient with tetralogy of Fallot （TOF） and 1 patient with doubleoutlet right ventricle （DORV）. Among different conduit materials，autologous pericardium was used for 17 patients，Gore-Texsynthetic graft was used for 5 patients，and bovine jugular vein was used for 2 patients. Conduit size and children’s body weight were analyzed with linear regression，then the equation was corrected with McGoon ratio. Results There was no perioperative death. Postoperative percutaneous saturation （SpO2）of the 24 children was 20.37%±28.33% higher than preoperative SpO2 . Electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm in all the patients. Twenty-three patients were NYHA classⅡ，and 1 patient was NYHA classⅢ. Postoperative mechanical ventilation time of patients with autologous pericardium were significantly shorter than those of patients with other 2 materials （P=0.017）. Sixteen patients were followed up from 10 months to 2 years after discharge，including 12 patients with autologous pericardium，3 patients with Gore-Tex synthetic graft and 1 patient with bovine jugular vein. During follow-up，McGoon ratio of patients with autologous pericardium，Gore-Tex synthetic graft and bovine jugular vein were 1.98±0.46，1.83±0.33 and 1.68 respectively，all of which weresignificantly higher than preoperative McGoon ratio （P＜0.05）. Six patients underwent radical corrective surgery，including5 patients with autologous pericardium and 1 patient with Gore-Tex synthetic graft. There was no complication directly related to surgery during follow-up. Linear regression was performed to form an equation between suitable conduit size and patients’ body weight：conduit diameter （mm）=0.327×body weight （kg）＋4.599. McGoon ratio，conduit size and equationresult were compared to find a practical choice of conduit size. If McGoon ratio＜0.8，the first integer greater than the equation result could be chosen. If McGoon ratio＞1.2，the first integer less than the equation result could be chosen. If 1.2＞McGoon ratio＞0.8，the first integer either less or greater than the equation result could be chosen. Group analysis showed that patients who recovered better postoperatively were those whose conduit sizes were closer to equation results as well as equation results corrected with McGoon ratio. Conclusion All the 3 materials can be conventionally chosen for RV-PA shunt. Appropriate conduit size can be decided upon patients’ body weight and McGoon ratio for RV-PA shunt.
Objective To evaluate early results of valved bovine jugular vein patch for reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract （RVOT）.?Methods From May 2009 to March 2010， a total of 60 patients with complex congenital heart diseases underwent reconstruction of RVOT with valved bovine jugular vein patch in Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital. There were 42 males and 18 females with their mean age of 6.2±8.9 years （ranging from 5 months to 33 years） and mean body weight of 27.5±24.0 kg， and 34 patients were less than 1 year. Preoperative clinical diagnosis included tetralogy of Fallot （n=38） and double outlet of right ventricle with pulmonary stenosis （n=22）. All the patients underwent one-stage surgical repair. Before operation， 4 patients underwent catheter intervention for their major aortopulmonary collaterals. The diameters of pulmonary arterial ring of all the patients were 2 standard deviation less than normal range， and trans-annular patch was chosen for RVOT reconstruction. All the patients were postoperatively followed up for 18 to 26 months （mean 21.2±4.6 months）.?Results There was no in-hospital death. And no second surgical intervention was needed for conspicuous RVOT stenosis or pulmonary regurgitation. Three patients needed reintubation for lung edema after extubation as a result of major aortopulmonary collaterals. Four patients underwent reexploration for postoperative bleeding. And all the other patients were discharged uneventfully. Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 84.0±22.0 min， and mean aortic cross-clamping time was 42.0±12.0 min. Mean RVOT gradient right after surgery was 18.0±4.5 mm Hg， which was not statistically different from mean RVOT gradient of 19.2±5.4 mm Hg measured by transthoracic echocardiography at their last postoperative follow-up（P＞0.05）. The degree of pulmonary regurgitation right after surgery was trivial in 32 patients（1＋）， mild in 28 patients（2＋）， which were not statistically different from the degree of pulmonary regurgitation at their last postoperative follow-up: trivial in 28 patients （1＋）， mild in 27 patients（2＋）， and moderate in 5 patients（3＋）. Calcification was not observed on the valved bovine jugular vein patch and valve cusp， and the valve cusp motioned well. No thrombosis or endocarditis was observed on the valved bovine jugular vein.?Conclusions For patients with tetralogy of Fallot or double outlet of right ventricle （DORV） and pulmonary stenosis， valved bovine jugular vein patch is a good choice for trans-annular reconstruction of RVOT. There is no severe postoperative complication related to bovine jugular vein， the RVOT pressure gradient does not increase significantly， and anti-regurgitation result is satisfactory in short-term follow-up. Further follow-up is required to evaluate its long-term outcome.
Objective To study the inflammation response and the biocompatibil ity of valved bovine jugular vein conduit (BJVC) and valved bovine jugular vein patch (VBJV-P) in treating complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods From December 2007 to March 2008, 16 patients with complex CHD were treated. Of 16 patients, 6 underwent conjunction right ventricular to pulmonary artery with BJVC and broaden right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) with VBJV-P (BJVC group), and 10 underwent broaden RVOT with self pericardial patch (control group). In BJVC group, there were 3 males and 3 females, aging (5.6 ± 3.6) years, and including 1 case of type I truncus arteriosus, 1 case of type I truncus arteriosus with ventricular septal defect and patent foramen ovale, 1 case of congenital pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and patent arterial duct, and 3 cases of Fallot’s tetrad. In control group, there were 5 males and 5 females, aging(4.3 ± 3.1) years, all being Fallot’s tetrad. The periphery vein blood of the two groups was collected during operation and after operation, and the levels of cytokine were detected with ELISA method. Meanwhile the cl inical data of the two groups were collected. Results There were no significant differences at levels of TNF-α and IL-6 between BJVC group and control group 1 week after operation (P gt; 0.05), and there was significant difference at level of IL-10 [(25.7 ± 5.0) pg/mL vs (19.5 ± 4.7) pg/ mL, P lt; 0.05]. There were no significant differences at levels of IL-6 and IL-10 within groups both in control group and in BJVC group (P gt; 0.05) between 1 week after operation and the anesthesia inducing period. And there was significant difference at level of TNF-α in BJVC group [(77.0 ± 1.6) pg/mL vs (82.9 ± 1.3) pg/mL, P lt; 0.05] and in control group [(78.6 ± 3.4) pg/mL vs (83.1 ± 1.9) pg/mL, P lt; 0.05] between 1 week after operation and the anesthesia inducing period. There were no statistically significant differences (P gt; 0.05) in leukocyte count and body temperature between BJVC group and control group. The X-ray films showed no abnormal ity in BJVC group and control group before operation and after operation. No hepatic and renal dysfunction occurred in control group; and 2 patients had hepatic dysfunction, which may be caused by antibiotics. Conclusion BJVC has a good biocompatibil ity in treating complexty CHD.