Clinical and hemodynamic results of extracardiac conduit reconstruction of the pulmonary artery.

To evaluate the efficacy of pulmonary artery construction with a prosthetic conduit we have reviewed 25 operations in 22 of our patients. Early mortality was 12.0%, late mortality 5.3%. Up to 13 years postoperatively, 93.8% of the survivors are asymptomatic. Of 12 patients surviving more than 1 year, 11 have been catheterized after 1-11 years. Five had prior aortopulmonary shunts (mean duration 7.3 years); highest postrepair pulmonary artery pressure was 40 mmHg. Of seven recatheterized xenograft conduits, none had severe and four had mild obstruction. Reconstruction of pulmonary artery with xenograft conduit produced good clinical results. Long duration of aortopulmonary shunt prior to repair did not result in severe pulmonary artery hypertension. Obstruction of xenograft conduit has not been a major problem in our patients, but when necessary, reoperation for obstruction can be carried out safely as late as 11 years after the operation.