The Ross operation: mid-term results.

BACKGROUND: The Ross operation, although more demanding, is now widely accepted as an alternative solution for aortic valve replacement in young adults and children. A review of our experience to assess the mid-term results with the Ross operation is presented. METHODS: From June 1991 through October 1997, 80 patients (mean age, 31 years) underwent aortic valve or root replacement with pulmonary autografts. Indications for operation were predominant aortic stenosis in 38 patients, aortic incompetence in 42 patients including endocarditis in 3 patients. Congenital lesions were present in 57 patients, either at pediatric (27 patients) or adult age (30 patients). Transthoracic echocardiography was performed preoperatively in all patients and serially after operation with the aims of measuring aortic and pulmonary annuli, evaluating transvalvular gradients and incompetence, and studying the left ventricular function. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was used routinely. Complete root replacement was performed in 52 patients, intraluminal cylinder in 25 patients, and subcoronary implantation in 3 patients. RESULTS: One patient died in the early postoperative period (1.2%). There was no late death. The actuarial survival at 5 years was 98%+/-1%. All survivors remained in New York Heart Association functional class I and were free of complications and medications. No gradient or significant aortic incompetence could be demonstrated in 73 patients. One patient developed late aortic incompetence grade 3 and reoperation is considered. On the pulmonary outflow tract, 6 patients had gradients between 20 and 40 mm Hg as calculated on echocardiography. CONCLUSIONS: The pulmonary autograft gives excellent mid-term results with low mortality and no morbidity. It completely relieves the abnormal loading conditions of the left ventricle, resulting in a complete recovery of left ventricular function in most patients.

Radical debridement and omental transposition for post sternotomy mediastinitis.

OBJECTIVE: Reported mortality for postoperative mediastinitis treated by debridement alone can reach 40%. The authors' experience with radical debridement and omental transposition is reviewed. METHODS: Between May 1990 and August 1996, 14 patients with untractable mediastinitis had a transfer of the greater omentum: 11 after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (6 bilateral internal thoracic arteries ITA grafts), one after a heart transplant, one after an aortic valve replacement and CABG, and one after a repair of the aortic isthmus related to a motor vehicle accident. The mean age was 63 +/- 8 years. Infection was proven in all patients by cultures of intraoperative specimens. Two patients had such a large sternal defect that no primary closure could be attempted. The remaining 12 patients had a mean of 1.4 +/- 0.7 previous debridement. Five patients had a total sternectomy. After radical debridement, the omentum was transferred over the entirety of the wound and covered with a meshed thin skin graft. All patients had a minimum of 4 weeks of i.v. antibiotic therapy. RESULTS: There was no operative death. Apart from one focal necrosis and one traumatic dehiscence of the omentum, there was no hospital complication. Sepsis was controlled in all patients. The median hospital stay was 31 days (range 20-154 days). At a median follow-up of 20 months (range: 6-44 months), there were two late deaths: one sudden and unexpected death and one after a re-do CABG. The remaining patients had resumed their previous activities. One patient had developed an incisional hernia and another underwent further surgery for cosmetic reasons. CONCLUSION: Radical debridement and omental transposition may achieve a cure for postoperative mediastinitis with good mid-term results.

A case of neonatal ductus arteriosus aneurysm.

A case of successfully operated neonatal ductus arteriosus aneurysm is described. Cardiac catheterization was performed to confirm the diagnosis because of a misinterpretation of the anatomy on transthoracic echocardiography. Rupture, embolism and infection are described complications of such aneurysms. Surgery should therefore be recommended without delay.

Tricuspid valve repair for tricuspid valve endocarditis after Fallot repair.

Occurrence of endocarditis after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot is rare. A case of early postoperative endocarditis in a 1-year-old infant is described. At reoperation an abscess of the the tricuspid valve annulus was discovered at the site of implantation of the ventricular septal defect patch. After debridement of the annulus, the septal and the anterior leaflet of the tricuspid valve were found dehiscent from their annular insertion. The tricuspid annulus was reconstructed with a patch of autologous pericardium, and the preserved leaflets were reimplanted.

Ross procedure in congenital patients: results and left ventricular function.

METHODS: From April 1990 to August 1995, 121 patients (median age 42 years) underwent aortic valve replacement with allografts (69 patients) or autografts (52 patients). In this latter group, 24 Ross procedures have been performed in congenital patients since November 1991 (median age 10 years, range five months to 27 years): aortic incompetence (n = 17), isolated aortic stenosis (n = 5), small stenotic prosthesis (n = 2). Transthoracic echocardiography was obtained preoperatively in all patients and serially after surgery with the aim of measuring aortic and pulmonary annuli and evaluate gradients and incompetence and to study the left ventricular function. Intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography was routinely used. Complete root replacement was performed in all patients. RESULTS: One patient died in the early postoperative period (4%). There was no late death. All survivors remained in NYHA class I and were free of complications and medications. No gradient nor any significant aortic incompetence could be demonstrated. In 17 patients with predominant aortic incompetence before surgery, the left ventricular function was followed prospectively, end-diastolic left ventricular dimensions diminished drastically from 2 +/- 3.4 S.D. above normal to -0.63 +/- 2.4 S.D. at one week postoperatively (day 10) to reach a normal value one to three months after surgery. Left ventricular mass remained abnormal at day 10 (from 4.7 +/- 3.3 S.D. to 5.3 +/- 3.8 S.D.) and diminished more progressively to reach a normal value (0.14 +/- 1.4 S.D.) at three months. This resulted in a significant decrease of end-systolic wall stress (-3.6 +/- 2.1 S.D.) and in a hyperdynamic function in the immediate postoperative days except in two patients. These two patients were characterized preoperatively by more severely dilated left ventricle (end diastolic dimension 5.3 +/- 0.03 versus 1.6 +/- 3 S.D.) with decreased left ventricular wall thickness (1.19 +/- 0.7 versus 3.44 +/- 1.9 S.D.), decreased ratio between end diastolic wall thickness and end diastolic dimension (0.14 +/- 0.06 versus 0.2 +/- 0.06) and a decreased velocity of shortening. Unlike the other 15 patients, the left ventricular function did not recover completely at mid term follow-up in those two patients. CONCLUSION: The Ross operation is a safe procedure and allows us to suppress completely the abnormal loading conditions of the left ventricle, resulting in a complete recovery of left ventricular function in most patients.

Aortic allograft and pulmonary autograft for aortic valve replacement: mid-term results.

Between April 1990 and August 1996, 138 patients (median age 42 years, range 10 days to 66 years) underwent aortic valve or root replacement with allografts (n = 70) or autografts (n = 68). Aortic stenosis was the main indication (80 patients, 58%) followed by aortic incompetence (31 patients, 22%). Twenty-five patients had endocarditis (18%) and two patients had truncus repair (2%). Some 140 allograft valves were inserted (70 pulmonary, 70 aortic). Most of the valves were conditioned and cryopreserved by the European Homograft Bank, Brussels, Belgium. Subcoronary implantation was performed in 46 patients, intraluminal cylinder in 29 and root replacement in 63. Peroperative transoesophageal echocardiography was routinely used. Three patients required valves replacement by mechanical valves at the time of surgery due to technical failure. Seven patients (5%) died early, while 131 were followed up from 1 to 76 months (mean 32 months). There were two late deaths. All survivors are in NYHA class I and currently free of any medication. There have been no thromboembolic events. Three patients developed endocarditis (2%). Transthoracic echocardiography was performed routinely in all patients; an initial study showed grade 1 aortic incompetence in nine patients and grade 2 in two. Late studies up to 6 years after surgery showed progression of aortic incompetence in 18 of 43 survivors with subcoronary implantation and in four of 75 survivors who underwent other techniques (P < 0.002). In congenital patients with preoperative aortic incompetence, the left ventricular function has been prospectively analysed by echocardiography. Risk factors have been identified as dilated ventricles with spherical shapes, thin wall and reduced velocities by measuring ejection fraction and velocity of shortening of myocardial fibres. Allograft and autograft replacement of the aortic valve can be performed with excellent results. Considering the risk of degeneration of allografts, and the growth potential of the pulmonary autograft, this should be regarded as the optimal method of treatment for diseased aortic valves in neonates, children and young adults.

The pulmonary autograft: results and left ventricular function.

From June 1991 through January 1996, 60 patients (mean age, 30 years) underwent aortic valve replacement with pulmonary autografts. Indications for operation were aortic stenosis in 31 patients, aortic incompetence in 27 patients, and endocarditis in 2 patients. Twenty-four patients were congenital patients (median age, 10 years; range, 5 months to 27 years) with aortic incompetence in 17, isolated aortic stenosis in 5, and small stenotic prostheses in 2. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed preoperatively in all patients and serially after surgery with the aims of measuring aortic and pulmonary annuli, to evaluate gradients and incompetence, and to study the left ventricular (LV) function. Intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography was routinely used. Complete root replacement was performed in 46 patients, intraluminal cylinder in 11 patients, and subcoronary implantation in 3 patients. One patient died in the early postoperative period (2%). There was no late death. All survivors remained in New York Heart Association class I and were free of complications and medications. No gradient nor any significant aortic incompetence could be demonstrated. On the pulmonary outflow tract, 4 patients had gradients between 20 and 40 mm Hg as calculated on echocardiography. In the 17 congenital patients with significant aortic incompetence before surgery, the LV function was followed up prospectively. The end-diastolic LV dimension (EDD) diminished drastically from 2 +/- 3.4 SD above normal to -0.63 +/- 2.4 SD at 1 week postoperatively (D10), to reach normal values 1 to 3 months after surgery. LV mass remained abnormal at D10 (from 4.7 +/- 3.3 SD to 5.3 +/- 3.8 SD) and diminished more progressively to reach normal values (0.14 +/- 1.4 SD) at 3 months. This resulted in a significant decrease of end-systolic wall stress (-3.6 +/- 2.1 SD) and in a hyperdynamic function in the immediate postoperative days except in 2 patients. These 2 patients were characterized preoperatively by more severely dilated LV (EDD 5.3 +/- 0.03 vs 1.6 +/- 3 SD) with decreased LV wall thickness (EDW) (1.19 +/- 0.7 vs 3.44 +/- 1.9 SD), decreased EDW/EDD (0.14 +/- 0.06 vs 0.2 +/- 0.06), and a decreased velocity of shortening. Unlike the other 15 patients, the LV function did not recover completely at mid-term follow-up in those 2 patients. The pulmonary autograft gives excellent results with low mortality and no morbidity. It suppresses completely the abnormal loading conditions of the LV, resulting in a complete recovery of LV function in most patients.

Orthotopic heart transplantation in situs inversus.

The case of a successful orthotopic heart transplantation for complete situs inversus with double-inlet left ventricle and anomalies of the systemic venous return is reported. A piece of aortic homograft and a composite conduit made of the recipient right atrium and pericardium were used to connect, respectively, the left superior vena cava and the hepatic veins to the right-sided atrium of the donor heart.

Aortic valve replacement with allograft/autograft: subcoronary versus intraluminal cylinder or root.

From April 1990 to May 1994, 89 patients (median age, 42 years; range, 10 days to 66 years) underwent aortic valve or root replacement with allografts or autografts. Thirteen patients were less than 18 years old at the time of operation. Indication for aortic valve replacement was aortic stenosis (50 patients, 56%), small stenotic prosthesis (2 patients, 2%), aortic valve endocarditis (19 patients, 21%), isolated aortic regurgitation (17 patients, 19%), and type II truncus arteriosus (1 patient, 1%). The subcoronary implantation was used in 45 patients (group A), and implantation of an intraluminal cylinder (16 patients) or complete root replacement (28 patients) was performed in the remaining 44 patients (group B). The Ross procedure was performed in 22 patients. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was used routinely. Five patients died in the early postoperative period (6%), 2 in group A and 3 in group B. Three other patients required immediate replacement of a failing graft by a mechanical prosthesis (1 in group A and 2 in group B). There has been no late death. All survivors remained in New York Heart Association functional class I and were free of thromboembolic complications. Endocarditis occurred in 2 patients, 1 year after operation. Both were successfully treated medically. Echocardiographic studies were obtained serially in every patient. Four patients, 2 in group A and 2 in group B underwent reoperation because of mild-to-moderate aortic regurgitation (rate of reoperation, 5%). Two valves were repaired and two were replaced by an allograft.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta in infants under one year of age. Long-term results in 146 patients comparing subclavian flap angioplasty and modified end-to-end anastomosis.

Between July 1976 and February 1991, 146 consecutive infants underwent surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta. Age at operation varied from 2 days to 11 months (median 1 month). Ninety-two (63%) were less than 2 months. Isolated coarctation was present in 65 patients (group 1), associated ventricular septal defect in 49 patients (group 2) and complex anomalies in 32 patients (group 3). The majority (65%) were in a critical condition and 45 patients (31%) were artificially ventilated. Subclavian flap angioplasty was performed in 39 patients and resection and end to end anastomosis in 107 patients. Neither hospital mortality was significantly different between subclavian flap angioplasty (15%) and end-to-end anastomosis (18%) nor was the postoperative hypertension. Actuarial survival at 10 years were 100% for group 1, 94% for group 2, and 62% for group 3. Seventeen patients had recurrent coarctation. No significant difference was found in terms of types of repair or age at operation. As no major advantage in terms of mortality and morbidity to either technique was found, we recommend resection and end-to-end anastomosis. This technique not only relieves the obstruction whatever the level is but also eliminates the ductal tissue, preserves the subclavian artery and avoids the use of prosthetic material.

Long-term follow-up of the Senning operation for transposition of the great arteries in children under 3 months of age.

Twenty-six patients aged 6 days to 3 months (mean 57 days) underwent a Senning procedure for transposition of the great arteries. Twenty-two had intact ventricular septum and four had a small ventricular septal defect. They were followed up for 1 month to 8 years (mean 4 years). There were no late deaths. At late examination, 25 patients were asymptomatic and there was no clinical or echographic evidence of caval or pulmonary venous obstruction. Growth was normal in all but two patients. Neurologic assessment was abnormal in eight patients. The electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm in 22 patients and asymptomatic arrhythmias in four. Twenty-three patients underwent cardiac catheterization and angiographic studies 2 to 72 months postoperatively (mean 15 months), which demonstrated effective left and right atrial contraction. An atrial shunt was noted in one patient and a ventricular shunt in one. Two infants (8%) had a residual left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (gradients of 26 and 37 mm Hg). Two had mild superior vena caval obstruction (gradients of 4 and 5 mm Hg). We conclude that the Senning procedure can be performed in early infancy with good results and a low incidence of late complications.

A rare variant of common arterial trunk.

A 13 day old baby was admitted to hospital with multiple abnormalities, increasing cyanosis, and cardiac failure. Cardiac catheterisation was performed on the day of admission and he died shortly after the procedure. A rare variant of common arterial trunk, in which the pulmonary arteries arose directly from the underside of the aortic arch, was found at necropsy.

[Coarctation of the aortic isthmus in the adult]. / La coarctation de l'isthme aortique chez l'adulte.

Forty four patients over the age of eighteen operated upon for coarctation of the aorta from 1962 to 1983 at our institution were followed for one to 21 years (mean 13 years 3 months). Hypertension was found in 86% of the patients and 82% were preoperatively symptomatic. There were three late deaths. During the follow-up period, drug resistant hypertension persists in 31% of the patients at rest and/or exertion and 18% have functional symptoms. These data emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for patients with coarctation of the aorta.

[Cardiac valvular surgery after 65 years of age]. / La chirurgie valvulaire cardiaque après 65 ans.

252 symptomatic patients aged 65-79 underwent surgery between 1970 and 1982 for heart valve lesions. Hospital mortality was 11.8%. Analysis of the short and long term results justifies cardiac surgery in elderly patients with valve disease.

[Lymphoceles after renal transplantation]. / Les lymphocèles après transplantation rénale.

Lymphocele following renal transplantation occurs in 1 to 10 p. cent of cases. Pathogenesis and symptomatology are discussed, based on findings in 8 cases. Diagnosis can usually be established by combining ultrasonography and intravenous urography. Asymptomatic lymphoceles require no treatment, but therapy is essential for those producing symptoms or venous or urinary compression. External drainage should be reserved for lymphoceles with spontaneous skin rupture: colloidal gold injections into the fistula orifice may assist drying up of lymphatic leakage. Intra-peritoneal marsupialization appears to be the most widely employed method in other cases, but recurrence is common when used alone. However it constitutes the treatment of choice, when combined with an epiploplasty.