Outcomes of Common Atrioventricular Valve Repair in Patients With Single-Ventricle Physiology ― Indication, Timing and Repair Techniques ―

BACKGROUND: Common atrioventricular valve (CAVV) repair in patients with a single ventricle remains a great challenge and a refractory issue for pediatric cardiac surgeons. Methods and Results: From January 2007 to April 2018, 37 consecutive patients with a single ventricle who underwent CAVV repair were included in the study group. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the repair technique: patients in Group A were treated using the bivalvation technique, and patients in Group B underwent conventional repair techniques; baseline data were similar between groups. The inhospital and follow-up mortality were 5.4% (2/37) and 11.4% (4/35), respectively. After a follow-up of 65.5±29.3 months, the estimated 1-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 94.6%, 83.4%, and 77.0%, respectively. The rates of freedom from CAVV failure were 94.3%, 72.7%, and 62.9% after 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the independent factors for CAVV repair failure were repair technique (P=0.004) and heterotaxy syndrome (P=0.003). A total of 30 patients (81.1%) completed total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC); 3 patients required re-intervention; 24 of 31 patients (77.4%) were in New York Heart Association classes II and I at the latest follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes of CAVV repair in patients palliated by single-ventricular surgery are acceptable. The bivalvation technique is a simple and effective technique.