Long-term outcomes of right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery conduit insertion in adults with congenital heart disease: survival analysis by National Death Index

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term outcomes following right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery (RV-to-PA) conduit insertion of Medtronic Freestyle® porcine valve (MFV) or pulmonary allograft valve (PAV) in adult patients with congenital heart disease. METHODS: Retrospective medical record review of consecutive RV-to-PA conduit insertion, using either PAV or MFV from 1991 to 2017. Perioperative data and clinic reports were collected. Cause and date of death were obtained from the Australian National Death Index to obtain survival function. RESULTS: In total, 232 patients (median age 31.5 years, interquartile range 25-41 years) underwent RV-to-PA conduit insertion (PAV = 84 and MFV = 148) and were eligible for inclusion [63.8% tetralogy of Fallot (TOF); 11.6% congenital pulmonary stenosis (PS); 24.6% other diagnoses]. The overall median follow-up time was 9.1 years (interquartile range 5.3-12.6 years). The mean gradient was 11.8 ± 7.1 mmHg in PAV and 16.6 ± 9.6 mmHg in MFV patients. Congenital PS patients had 100% survival at 20 years, TOF patients at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years had 99%, 97%, 96% and 96% survival, respectively. Patients with other primary diagnoses at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years had 93%, 91%, 87% and 87% respectively. Freedom from reintervention did not differ significantly at 5 and 10 years between pulmonary allograft (98.6%, 98.6%) and Freestyle® porcine bioprosthesis (97.5%, 93%). CONCLUSIONS: Both valves perform equally well with regard to patients' freedom from reoperation, although transvalvular gradient was higher for Freestyle® patients. Congenital PS and TOF patients had better survival than patients with other primary diagnoses.