Utilization of the aortic flap above the facing commissure in arterial switch operations.
BACKGROUND
The aortic flap above the facing commissure after removal of the coronary button from the aortic sinus can be utilized for reconstruction in an arterial switch operation.


METHODS
The free flap was used to reconstruct the coronary artery in two cases, as a medially based trapdoor. A rotational flap was inserted into the cut-open right pulmonary artery to augment the neopulmonary arterial anastomotic site in another case.


RESULTS
All patients are doing well at mid term follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
The indications of each method and reported tricks to avoid coronary artery kinking during an arterial switch operation are discussed.
Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
I S
IS
Chiu
T F
TF
Chou
S F
SF
Lin
M H
MH
Wu
J K
JK
Wang
S H
SH
Chu
D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000601:surgery*