[Surgical treatment of aortico-left ventricular tunnel].
OBJECTIVE
To review 9 aortico-left ventricular tunnel (ALVT) patients in our hospital, describe the clinical features, diagnosis, treatments and follow-up.


METHODS
We identified 9 patients from July 2002 to August 2008. Clinical and surgical details were reviewed. 7 patients were in NYHA class I and 2 in class III, 8 of 9 patients were diagnosed by echocardiography before operation.


RESULTS
All patients underwent surgery under standard cardiopulmonary bypass. 2 with direct suture, 5 by patch closure of the aortic end and 1 by patch closure of both aortic end and left ventricular end of the AVLT. 1 underwent aortic valve replacement after incision of the ALVT. One patient died 2 month after operation because of endocarditis and acute heart failure. At follow-up (3 month to 6 years), 3 patients were in NYHA class I, 3 in Class II, 1 in class III and missed 1. No aortic regurgitation or trace in 2, little in 1, little to moderate in 2. The aortic mechanical valve is normal in 1 and paravalvular leakage in 1 patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Aortico-left ventricular tunnel is a rare cardiac malformation with a good post-operative outcome. Surgery is an effective treatment. Long-term follow-up for post-operation is essential.
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiovascular Institute and Fu Wai Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100037, China. weiwang58@hotmail.com
Wei
W
Wang
Hai-Ning
HN
Sun
Ke-Ming
KM
Yang
Xin-Jin
XJ
Luo
Sheng-Shou
SS
Hu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult