Hilum-to-hilum Gore-Tex tube replacement of central pulmonary arteries.

Abstract

Patients born with hypoplastic pulmonary arteries require recurrent procedures of shunting, patch reconstructions, balloon dilatations, and occasionally stenting to achieve adult-size vessels. We have applied a hilum-to-hilum Gore-Tex conduit replacement for the stenosed central pulmonary arteries to 12 consecutive patients with a Gore-Tex tube of 14 mm (9 patients) or 12 mm (3 patients) at a median age of 6.7 years (range, 1.6 to 16.9). There were 8 patients with biventricular repair (2 patients with heart transplantation) and 4 patients with Fontan completions. After a follow-up time of 25 ± 22 months, there was no mortality, reintervention, or restenosis.