Neonatal coarctation repair. Influence of technique on late results.

BACKGROUND

Coarctation repair in the neonate (< or = 28 days) is associated with higher mortality and increased incidence of restenosis compared with older infants. It has been suggested that resection of pericoarctation ductal tissue may reduce this risk of restenosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

To further clarify these issues, we reviewed our experience with 111 consecutive neonates undergoing primary repair between 1973 and 1991. Hospital mortality was 14.4% (16 of 111) and was not significantly different for the type of repair:resection and end-to-end anastomosis (RETE) 10.7% (6 of 56), subclavian flap angioplasty (SFA) 16.7% (6 of 36), and patch angioplasty (PA) 16.7% (3 of 18). Associated complex cardiac pathology was associated with higher operative risk: 25% (10 of 40) versus 8.4% (6 of 71) (P = .02). Median follow-up of 4.2 years (range, 0.1 to 18.5 years) was 99% complete. Late mortality was 13.6% (13 of 95), of which 92% occurred within 1 year of repair. Twenty percent (19 of 95) needed reintervention for restenosis, RETE 16% (8 of 50), SFA 13% (4 of 30), and PA 47% (7 of 15) (P = .02). Of these, 84.2% (16 of 19) required reintervention within 1 year of repair. Freedom from reintervention 1 and 8 years after operation was 80 +/- 4% and 77 +/- 5%, respectively. Actuarial survival 8 years after operation was 73 +/- 4%; for simple coarctation, this was 90 +/- 4%. By multivariate analysis, survival was negatively influenced only by presence of associated cardiac pathology (P = .002) and reintervention only by patch angioplasty technique of repair (P = .007).

CONCLUSIONS

In the neonate, resection of coarctation (RETE) does not diminish the risk for reintervention compared with SFA. The risk for both late death and recurrent coarctation are highest within the first year after repair, and follow-up should be particularly vigilant during this period.