OBJECTIVES: Surgical reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) often requires implantation of a valved conduit. A single-centre 10-year experience with the Hancock porcine-valved Dacron conduit was retrospectively assessed. METHODS: The records of 63 patients who underwent RVOT reconstruction with Hancock conduit implantation between August 2000 and July 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. The median age was 13 years (range, 4 months to 64 years) and the median weight 44 kg (range, 6.5-75 kg). Fifty-one patients (83%) had previous cardiac surgery, and conduit replacement was performed in 31 patients (49%). Patient and conduit survivals with respect to factors precipitating conduit degeneration were analysed. Conduit failure was defined as severe conduit regurgitation or stenosis with a main pulmonary artery systolic gradient over 60 mmHg. RESULTS: Early mortality was 4.8% and not related to conduit failure. Follow-up was complete with a mean duration of 3.5 ± 2.6 years. Patient survival after conduit implantation was 93 [95% confidence interval (CI), 87-100], 90 (95% CI, 81-100) and 85% (95% CI, 74-98) after 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. Conduit failure occurred in six patients after a median of 5.6 years (range, 2.7-9.0 years). Freedom from conduit failure was 100, 96 (95% CI, 89-100) and 83% (95% CI, 62-100%) after 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. Mean systolic gradient over the stenotic conduit valve was 87 ± 11 mmHg. Neither RVOT-aneurysm formation nor distal conduit stenosis occurred. Univariate analysis revealed younger age and absent pulmonary valve syndrome as risk factors for conduit failure (P = 0.01 and P < 0.01). Stepwise logistic regression identified higher white blood cell count at postoperative day 8 as a significant risk factor for conduit failure (odds ratio, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.52-0.89; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The Hancock conduit is a valuable option for pulmonary valve replacement. It is not associated with RVOT-aneurysm formation or distal conduit stenosis. A persisting perioperative inflammatory reaction may be a predictor for later conduit failure.
OBJECTIVES: Surgical reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) often requires implantation of a valved conduit. A single-centre 10-year experience with the Hancock porcine-valved Dacron conduit was retrospectively assessed. METHODS: The records of 63 patients who underwent RVOT reconstruction with Hancock conduit implantation between August 2000 and July 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. The median age was 13 years (range, 4 months to 64 years) and the median weight 44 kg (range, 6.5-75 kg). Fifty-one patients (83%) had previous cardiac surgery, and conduit replacement was performed in 31 patients (49%). Patient and conduit survivals with respect to factors precipitating conduit degeneration were analysed. Conduit failure was defined as severe conduit regurgitation or stenosis with a main pulmonary artery systolic gradient over 60 mmHg. RESULTS: Early mortality was 4.8% and not related to conduit failure. Follow-up was complete with a mean duration of 3.5 ± 2.6 years. Patient survival after conduit implantation was 93 [95% confidence interval (CI), 87-100], 90 (95% CI, 81-100) and 85% (95% CI, 74-98) after 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. Conduit failure occurred in six patients after a median of 5.6 years (range, 2.7-9.0 years). Freedom from conduit failure was 100, 96 (95% CI, 89-100) and 83% (95% CI, 62-100%) after 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. Mean systolic gradient over the stenotic conduit valve was 87 ± 11 mmHg. Neither RVOT-aneurysm formation nor distal conduit stenosis occurred. Univariate analysis revealed younger age and absent pulmonary valve syndrome as risk factors for conduit failure (P = 0.01 and P < 0.01). Stepwise logistic regression identified higher white blood cell count at postoperative day 8 as a significant risk factor for conduit failure (odds ratio, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.52-0.89; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The Hancock conduit is a valuable option for pulmonary valve replacement. It is not associated with RVOT-aneurysm formation or distal conduit stenosis. A persisting perioperative inflammatory reaction may be a predictor for later conduit failure.