Impact of Right Ventricle to Pulmonary Artery Connection or Systemic-to-Pulmonary Artery Shunt Surgery on Promoting the Development of Pulmonary Vasculature in Patients With Pulmonary Atresia and Ventricular Septal Defect / 中国循环杂志

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To compare the effect between the right ventricle to pulmonary artery connection and the systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt palliative surgery in patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect. Methods: A total of 92 consecutive patients (mean age [1.69 ± 1.72] years, range 0.2-8.1 years) diagnosed with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect and pulmonary artery hypoplasia (Nakata index [87.51 ± 36.97] mm2/m2; McGoon ratio 0.97±0.28) from December 2009 to August 2012 in our hospital were included in this retrospective study. 45 patients underwent the procedure of right ventricle to pulmonary artery connection (RV-PA) and 47 underwent the systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt surgery, some patients also received simultaneous transcatheter occlusion of major aortopulmonary collaterals and/or pulmonary angioplasty. The mechanical ventilation time and ICU monitoring time, the pulmonary vascular growth and the anatomical repair rate were compared between the two groups. Results: The mean follow up time was (2.01±1.02)years. Nakata index and McGoon ratio equally increased significantly post operation as compared to baseline level (P<0.001). Incidence of final anatomical repair was significantly higher in the RV-PA group than in the systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt group (62.2% vs 31.9%,P<0.01). During the anatomical repair operation, the incidence of cyanosis improvement was significantly higher, while the operation time was significantly shorter in the RV-PA group than in the systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt group(both P<0.05). Mechanical ventilation time and ICU monitoring time also tended to be shorter in the RV-PA group (P>0.05). Conclusions: The palliative right ventricle to pulmonary artery connection surgery is related to higher rate of final anatomical repair in patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect and may help the patients recover after the anatomical repair.