Experience with left ventricular apicoaortic conduits for complicated left ventricular outflow obstruction in children and young adults.

Six patients, ranging in age from 8 to 20 years, underwent left ventricular apicoaortic construction for treatment of complicated left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. All patients had severe left ventricular hypertrophy as determined by echocardiography and electrocardiography. The preoperative gradient across the left ventricular outflow tract was 84 +/- 17 mm Hg (mean +/- standard deviation) (range, 65 to 110 mm Hg), and the preoperative left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was 20 +/- 7 mm Hg (range, 12 to 28 mm Hg). Conduits were placed retroperitoneally with the distal anastomosis to the infrarenal aorta; the porcine valve was positioned in the left upper quadrant. Relief of left ventricular hypertension was complete; the minimal gradient measured intraoperatively was 13 +/- 8 mm Hg (range, 0 to 20 mm Hg). With an average follow-up of 18 months (range, 6 to 24 months), all patients have improved and are in Functional Class I. Four patients were catheterized 12 months postoperatively. They all showed excellent relief of left ventricular hypertension; the conduit was effectively decompressing the left ventricle. This experience suggests that this approach is effective in relieving complex left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with good early results, and that it deserves more frequent application in children.