Experimental right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with a composite Mitrathane monocusp patch: preliminary results.

Twenty large white pigs underwent normothermic right ventricular bypass, pulmonary artery valve excision and right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction using a synthetic material (Mitrathane). The animals were divided in two groups (ten for each group) for the RVOT reconstruction model: Group I with a composite monocusp patch (with a new design geometrically related to pulmonary artery circumference) and Group II without a valve mechanism. Four early postoperative deaths occurred in Group I (unrelated to monocusp patch function) and seven in Group II (due to acute right ventricular failure). Follow up of the six animals of Group I was 600-630 (average 617.5) days and of the three Group II animals was 95-110 (average 101.6) days. In Group I haemodynamic studies showed no significant difference from preoperative values at 5 months while at 20 months there was a moderate valve insufficiency in all animals. In Group II severe right ventricular insufficiency was present in all animals and spontaneous death occurred after about 3 months. In Group I angiographic studies disclosed no evidence of graft calcification or stenosis while in Group II there was a moderate pulmonary trunk dilatation. Post mortem examination showed no signs of degeneration in any graft. Microscopic studies of both groups revealed an acellular layer of fibrin on the external surface and fibrous deposit on the inner part of the suture with the right ventricle. In Group I there were leukocyte and histocyte infiltration of the grafts. In these experiments our synthetic monocusp model showed good function and durability in comparison to a RVOT reconstruction without a valve mechanism.