Current status of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction: complete translation of a review article originally published in Kyobu Geka 2014;67:65-77

Abstract

Right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction is becoming more prevalent as the number of adult patients who require repeated surgery long after definitive repair of congenital heart defects during childhood has increased. Early primary repair and annulus-preserving surgery have been the two current strategies of RVOT reconstruction from the viewpoint of timing and indications for surgical intervention; however, the long-term outcomes of both procedures remain unknown. Although various materials have been used for pulmonary valve replacement during RVOT reconstruction, deficient durability due primarily to immunological rejection frequently arises, particularly when implanted into young patients. A multicenter study in Japan showed that the clinical outcomes of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) valved patches/conduits that we developed and manufactured comprised an excellent alternative material for RVOT reconstruction. Such enhanced outcomes might have partly been attributable to the biocompatibility and low antigenicity of ePTFE, and also to the fluid dynamic properties arising from the structural characteristics of a bulging sinus and a fan-shaped valve. However, numerous issues concerning RVOT reconstruction, such as indications for and the timing of definitive repair, as well as the choice of materials for pulmonary valve replacement, must be resolved to achieve better patient prognoses and quality of life. This review describes recent surgical strategies and outstanding issues associated with RVOT reconstruction.