Extracardiac conduit versus lateral tunnel for total cavopulmonary connections.
OBJECTIVE
Compare the surgical outcomes of the lateral tunnel and the extracardiac conduit total cavopulmonary connections at a single center during a l0-year period.


METHODS
From October 1995 through October 2005, 27 total cavopulmonary connections (TCPC) were performed. fourteen patients were the lateral tunnel and thirteen patients were the extracardiac conduit. Prior superior cavopulmonary connective surgery and fenestration surgery were done more often in the group with extracardiac conduit.


RESULTS
Operative mortality was 29% in the lateral tunnel and no operative mortality in the extracardiac conduit (p < 0.05). The cause of deaths in three patients was significant AV valve regurgitations and one was small pulmonary artery index. All patients in both groups were in NYHA class 1 and 2 and no patients with supraventricular arrhythmias were detected in the two groups during the follow-up period There was only one patient in the lateral tunnel who developed thromboembolism from irregular warfarin taking.


CONCLUSIONS
The extracardiac conduit had lower mortality than the lateral tunnel. However; there was no difference in early and mid-term complications.
Attanavanich
Sukasom
S
Cardiovascular Thoracic Unit, Division of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. rasac@mucc.mahidol.ac.th
Lertsithichai
Panuwat
P
D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002648:Child; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D005260:Female; D018729:Fontan Procedure; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013923:Thromboembolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000601:surgery*