Objectives: To analyse the factors associated with in-hospital mortality and mid-term significant neoaortic valve regurgitation (AR) after truncal valve (TV) repair.
Methods: Eleven children underwent TV repair at our institution from July 1999 to March 2012. All children presented significant preoperative TV regurgitation. Valve anatomy was quadricuspid in 7 (64%) patients and tricuspid in 4 (36%). The median age and weight at surgery were 29.6 (range 0.3-173.2) months and 12 (range 2.2-49) kg, respectively. Repair included bicuspidalization through the approximation of two leaflets associated with triangular resection of the opposite one (n = 2, 18%), or either bicuspidalization or tricuspidalization of the TV through excision of one leaflet and related sinus of Valsalva (n = 9, 82%). In 3 patients, repair was associated with coronary detachment before cusp removal, followed by coronary reimplantation.
Results: In-hospital death occurred in 2 (18%) patients. Factors associated with hospital mortality were age <1 year (P = 0.05), weight <3 kg (P = 0.02) and longer cross-clamping time (P = 0.008). Follow-up was complete for all patients [median follow-up time: 52.2 (range 132.2-2.5) months]. Mid-term significant AR occurred in 4 patients (45%, moderate in 2 and severe in 2). One with severe AR underwent successful valve replacement 4 months postoperatively, leading to freedom from reintervention of 91%. Freedom from significant AR was 76.2 (33.2-93.5) and 60.9 (20.2-85.6) at 1 and 2 years, respectively. There was a trend towards longer freedom from mid-term significant AR for patients who underwent cusp removal compared with those who did not (P = 0.07).
Conclusions: TV repair in children can be performed safely with fairly good and durable results. Cusp removal might decrease the rate of severe AR on mid-term follow-up.
Keywords: Congenital heart disease; Truncus arteriosus; Valve disease.