Objective To summarize the experience of extraanatomic aortic bypass grafting through median sternotomy for onestage treatment of aortic coarctation and associated cardiac diseases, and to improve surgical effect of the diseases. Methods Between July 1997 and July 2008, 31 consecutive patients(20 male,11 female; age 31.9±11.7 years) with aortic coarctation and associated cardiac anomalies underwent onestage surgical repair through median sternotomy. The associated cardiac anomalies included: aortic valve insufficiency or stenosis(n=22); mitral valve insufficiency or stenosis (n=9); patent ductus arteriosus (n=5); ascending aortic aneurysm (n=4); ventricular septal defect (n=3); coronary artery disease (n=2). Extra-anatomic aortic bypass grafting was used to repair the coarctation. Routing of the grafts was: ascendingto posterior pericardial descending aorta (n=9) and ascendingtoinfrarenal abdominal aorta (n=22). Concomitant cardiac procedures included: aortic valve replacement in 16; Bentall procedures in 6; mitral valve repair or replacement in 9; ascending aortic replacement or aortoplasty in 4; patent ductus arteriosus closure in 5; ventricular septal defect closure in 3 and coronary artery bypass grafting in 2. Results One patient died of septic shock 39 days after operation with an inhospital mortality of 3.2%. Mean systolic blood pressure gradient between upper and lower extremities decreased from 64.2±25.3 mm Hg preoperatively to 13.7±10.2 mm Hg postoperatively (Plt;0.05). Twentyseven patients were followed up from 4 to 73 months, there were no late deaths，reoperations or graftrelated complications. Conclusion Extraanatomic aortic bypass grafting can be performed simultaneously through median approach in patients with aortic coarctation and associated cardiac diseases. It is an effective and safe treatment option for onestage surgical repair in adults and adolescents. Both ascendingto posterior pericardial descending aorta and ascendingtoinfrarenal abdominal aorta bypass have favorable results.
Objective To compare the difference of effect while using homograft pericardium patch and Gore- tex patch in staged repair of tetralogy of Fallot（TOF） to enlarge the right ventricular outflow tract （RVOT）. Methods Twenty-eight patients with TOF who underwent the staged complete repair were divided into 2 groups according to the date of surgery. Gore-rex group, 13 cases, their RVOT were enlarged with Gore-tex patches. Cryopreserved homograft pericardium patch group, 15 cases, their RVOT were enlarged with cryopreserved homograft pericardium patches. Clinical results and follow-up results were compared. Results There were 1 operative death in Gore-tex patch group （7. 7%）, and 1 early postoperative death in cryopreserved homograft pericardium patch group （6. 7%）. Hemostasia time, the pericardial cavity drainage volume in cryopreserved homograft pericardium patch group were less than those in Gore-tex patch group （P〈0. 01）. All patients were followed-up for 0.8-4.5years. The residual obstruction rate at RVOT level in Gore-tex patch group was higher than that in cryopreserved homograft pericardium patch group by echocardiography （P〈0.01）. No calcification shadow was found on the chest X-ray. Conclusion Homograft pericardium is the tissue with high density and intensity, its elasticity and compliance are good. Using homograft pericardium patch may be helpful to decrease the residual obstruction of RVOT after operation. It can be adapted as a repairing material in heart surgery.