title: Performance of bovine pericardial valves in the pulmonary position.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to determine the outcome and performance of bovine pericardial valves in the pulmonary position.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective review of all patients with congenital heart disease who had pulmonary valve replacement using a bovine pericardial valve from 2002 to 2009 at a single institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 73 consecutive patients, with a median age of 17.3 years (range, 2.1 to 64.4). Their diagnosis was tetralogy of Fallot (n = 47), pulmonary stenosis (n = 11), or other (n = 15). Sixty-nine patients had 91 previous surgical procedures. The mean time from last surgery was 19.9 ± 11.6 years. Forty-three patients had concomitant surgical procedures. There were no perioperative deaths. Clinical follow-up was available in 68 patients (93%). There were no late deaths, and all patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I during a median follow-up period of 2.6 years (range, 0.2 to 8.0). One patient had endocarditis necessitating valve removal 2 years after surgery. Freedom from pulmonary valve reoperation was 100%, 97.7%, and 97.7% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively (95% confidence interval: 93.2% to 100%). Mean pulmonary valve gradient at follow-up was 19 ± 14 mm Hg. Degree of pulmonary insufficiency was less than moderate in 62 patients, moderate in 4, and more than moderate in 2. Freedom from moderate-severe or severe pulmonary insufficiency was 97.7%, 89.1%, and 89.1% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively (5-year 95% confidence interval: 77.0% to 100%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pulmonary valve replacement using a bovine pericardial valve can be accomplished with low perioperative morbidity and favorable midterm outcomes. Further follow-up is necessary to evaluate the long-term performance of bovine pericardial valves in the pulmonary position.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shinkawa
authors.forename: Petros V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Anagnostopoulos
authors.forename: Natalie C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Naruhito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sapru
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azakie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult