title: Allograft reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of allograft reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT).
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1986 to April 1995, 201 allografts (146 pulmonary, 55 aortic) were implanted in 189 patients for conduit reconstruction of the RVOT in congenital heart disease or in the pulmonary autograft procedure. The mean age at allograft implantation was 16 years (range 2 weeks - 54 years). The primary diagnoses of these patients were truncus arterious (n = 19, 10%), transposition of the great arteries (TGA) with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and pulmonary atresia (PA) or stenosis (PS) (n = 14, 7%), PA with VSD (n = 26, 14%), PA or PS with intact septum (n = 7, 4%), tetralogy of Fallot (n = 44, 23%), corrected TGA with PA or PS (n = 11, 6%), tricuspid atresia (n = 9, 5%), aortic valve pathology for pulmonary autograft procedure (n = 55, 29%), and miscellaneous (n = 4, 2%). The allograft implantation was a reoperation in 54 patients (29%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up was 2.5 years (range 4 weeks-9 years). Six patients died in hospital (3.2%). Patient survival at 5 years was 91% (95% CL 86-95%). Freedom from all valve-related events (2 deaths, 17 reoperations, one endocarditis), as determined during reoperation or autopsy at 5 years was 78% (95% CL 65-86%). Freedom from structural allograft failure was 83% (2 deaths, 12 reoperations, 95% CL 70-90%). Allografts implanted for congenital right heart defects failed earlier than allografts used for pulmonary autograft procedures (P = 0.05). Aortic allografts showed structural failure more often than pulmonary allografts (P = 0.05). There were more valve-related events in patients of a younger age at implantation (P = 0.02) and in those allograft valves from younger donors (P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allograft RVOT reconstruction is an adequate surgical therapy. The allograft should preferably be pulmonary. A younger age at implantation is a risk factor for allograft failure. Donor age may be a thus-far underestimated risk factor for allograft degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-Pulmonary Surgery, University Hospital Sophia-Dijkzigt, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bogers
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cromme-Dijkhuis
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Steyerberg
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: van Herwerden
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Hokken
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000379:methods; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology