ObjectiveTo summarize clinical experience and outcomes of extracardiac conduit total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC)for surgical treatment of complex congenital heart diseases. MethodsClinical data of 52 patients who underwent extracardiac conduit TCPC from September 2006 to December 2012 in Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command were retrospectively analyzed. There were 12 patients who received one-stage extracardiac conduit TCPC. There were 40 patients who received two-staged extracardiac conduit TCPC after bidirectional Glenn procedure. Clinical data of all the patients were analyzed. Mortality, morbidity, length of hospital stay and intensive care unit (ICU)stay, mechanical ventilation time, change of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2)were compared between the 2 groups. ResultsTwo patients (3.8%)died postoperatively including 1 patient with severe low cardiac output syndrome and another patient with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Fifty patients were discharged successfully. Mechanical ventilation time, length of ICU stay and hospital stay of the 40 patients who received two-stage extracardiac conduit TCPC were significantly shorter than those of the 12 patients who received one-stage extracardiac conduit TCPC. There was no statistical difference in postoperative morbidity, SaO2 (two-staged vs. one-staged:93%±3% vs. 94%±3%)or mortality (two-staged vs. one-staged:2.5% vs.8.3%)between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). Forty-five patients (90%)were followed up for 6-52 months, and there was no death during follow-up. At 3 months after TCPC, all the patients had heart function of class I or II, and echocardiography showed patent cavopulmonary anastomosis. ConclusionExtracardiac conduit TCPC is a simple procedure, can produce more physiological hemodynamic results, and can be performed for patients who cannot undergo biventricle procedure. Compared with one-stage extracardiac conduit TCPC, two-staged extracardiac conduit TCPC has wider surgical indications, can produce better postoperative recovery, and is easier to perform.