title: Encouraging results for the Contegra conduit in the problematic right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery connection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Contegra conduit was developed for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction. This report evaluates the Contegra conduit, with focus on certain subpopulations in which conduits are known to perform poorly (ie, patients with previous homograft conduits and infants).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of 76 patients who had 77 Contegra conduits placed for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction (January 2001 through August 2005) was completed. Characteristics include the following: median age of 1.6 years (range, 17 days-15.1 years), weight of 9.8 kg (range, 2.5-64.0 kg), and conduit diameter of 16 mm (range, 12-22 mm). Operations performed include right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction for pulmonary atresia-stenosis (n = 33), conduit exchange (n = 28), truncus repair (n = 7), primary conduit placement (n = 6), and the Ross procedure (n = 3). Seventy-nine percent were reoperations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no hospital mortality. Mean follow-up was 20 +/- 14 months. One-, 2-, and 3- year freedom from severe conduit regurgitation was 97%, 86%, and 81%, respectively, and freedom from severe conduit stenosis was 100%. Freedom from reoperation for conduit failure at 1 and 3 years is 98.3% and 93.1%, respectively. All conduit failures (n = 3) were for asymptomatic conduit pseudoaneurysms in the setting of multiple-level pulmonary branch stenoses. Survival at 3 years is 96%. Infants (n = 26) had a freedom from Contegra conduit failure at 3 years of 100%. Patients with previous homograft conduits (n = 26) had a freedom from Contegra conduit failure at 3 years of 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At midterm follow-up, the Contegra conduit remains a reliable, accessible, and easily implantable conduit for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction. It appears to be the most promising conduit option for patients with previous homograft conduits and for infants.
authors.affiliation: Division of Congenital Heart Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex 77030, USA. dlmorale@texaschildrenshospital.org
authors.forename: David L S
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Brandi E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Braud
authors.forename: Kathryn S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Gunter
authors.forename: Kathleen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Carberry
authors.forename: Karol A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Arrington
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Heinle
authors.forename: E Dean
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Fraser
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*