INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: We report our experience in the surgical correction of anomalous origin of left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), with an emphasis on the coronary reimplantation technique and its outcome. METHODS: We designed a retrospective, longitudinal, descriptive study that included patients with ALCAPA who underwent surgery involving coronary reimplantation over a 19-year period. We describe perioperative details such as variations in the surgical technique and the postoperative outcome in terms of morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: We studied 15 patients (86% females) with a mean age of 6.2 years (range, 2 months to 24 years). Heart failure was the principal cause for hospitalization in 80% of our patients. Left ventricular dysfunction was present in 67%, and 27% had significant or severe mitral valve regurgitation. We describe 3 surgical techniques for coronary reimplantation, the choice of which depends on the site of origin of the anomalous left coronary artery. Four patients underwent an additional mitral valve procedure. The most common immediate postoperative complications were low cardiac output (38%), pleural effusion (17%), and transient ischemia (13%). There was no operative or medium-term mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Coronary reimplantation is the technique of choice for surgical correction of ALCAPA due to the excellent postoperative survival and low operative morbidity.
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: We report our experience in the surgical correction of anomalous origin of left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), with an emphasis on the coronary reimplantation technique and its outcome. METHODS: We designed a retrospective, longitudinal, descriptive study that included patients with ALCAPA who underwent surgery involving coronary reimplantation over a 19-year period. We describe perioperative details such as variations in the surgical technique and the postoperative outcome in terms of morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: We studied 15 patients (86% females) with a mean age of 6.2 years (range, 2 months to 24 years). Heart failure was the principal cause for hospitalization in 80% of our patients. Left ventricular dysfunction was present in 67%, and 27% had significant or severe mitral valve regurgitation. We describe 3 surgical techniques for coronary reimplantation, the choice of which depends on the site of origin of the anomalous left coronary artery. Four patients underwent an additional mitral valve procedure. The most common immediate postoperative complications were low cardiac output (38%), pleural effusion (17%), and transient ischemia (13%). There was no operative or medium-term mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Coronary reimplantation is the technique of choice for surgical correction of ALCAPA due to the excellent postoperative survival and low operative morbidity.