A Valve-Containing Dacron Prosthesis

Abstract

Total surgical repair of congenital heart lesions with pulmonary artery-right ventricular discontinuity has required a valve-containing conduit for optimum results. Excellent results have been attained by constructing a new pulmonary valve and artery using human aortic homografts. Certain disadvantages have been noted: difficulty in procurement, limited tissue for tailoring of the prosthesis, difficulty in prevention of distortion, and early calcification of the conduit. A dacron conduit containing a porcine heterograft aortic valve that does not possess these disadvantages has now been used in five patients for construction of pulmonary artery-right ventricular continuity. This conduit is a uniform product, available in multiple sizes. Follow-up data of up to two years including postoperative catheterization studies demonstrate this prosthesis to be a satisfactory and perhaps a superior alternative to the aortic homograft for restoring pulmonary artery-right ventricular continuity.