Reoperation for recurrent aortic coarctation.

BACKGROUND

Recurrence of stenosis is a complication of coarctation repair associated with major long-term morbidity. Persistent or exercise-provoked hypertension may indicate recurrent coarctation. Patients failing or not amenable to balloon dilation should be managed surgically.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed.

RESULTS

Forty-three patients were identified as having undergone repeat surgical intervention for recurrent aortic coarctation between the years 1976 and 1993 at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Seventy percent of the children had other congenital cardiac anomalies. Eighty-six percent of patients initially treated by subclavian flap aortoplasty or end-to-end anastomosis were managed at reoperation by patch aortoplasty, and 26% of patients also required augmentation of the transverse arch (under hypothermic circulatory arrest) for accompanying hypoplasia. Three patients underwent a second reoperation; all were treated at this reoperation with tube graft interposition.

CONCLUSIONS

No ischemic spinal injury occurred in patients managed with either simple proximal aortic cross-clamping or cardiopulmonary bypass. No patient treated with transverse arch augmentation required further surgical intervention. Mortality at reoperation was 7% (3 patients), similar to that of first-time coarctation repair. At follow-up (mean duration, 4.5 years), 57% of patients are normotensive, with no measurable arm-leg gradient.