Partial biventricular repair for complex congenital heart defects: an intermediate option for complicated anatomy or functionally borderline right complex heart.

BACKGROUND

Partial biventricular repair consists of bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis in the presence of separated systemic and pulmonary circulations, with antegrade flow of inferior caval return through an intact or reconstructed pulmonary outflow tract. This versatile procedure may be used as a definitive repair for patients with a functional right heart complex incapable of supporting an entire cardiac output or in patients with complicated anatomy.

METHODS

From July 1992 to April 1997, 23 patients (median age 5.2 years) underwent partial biventricular repair. In 15 of these cases the entire repair, including bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis, intracardiac repair, and right ventricular outflow reconstruction, was performed as a planned procedure at our institution. The other eight patients had previously been placed on a Fontan track and had undergone bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis; their circulations were converted to a partial biventricular circulation.

RESULTS

There were no early deaths. Complete atrioventricular block developed in two patients with straddling tricuspid valve. At a median follow-up of 17 months, there were no late deaths and three patients had undergone reintervention. Partitioning of the pulmonary arteries to create a classic Glenn anastomosis with antegrade flow to the left lung was performed in one case; another patient underwent an atrial septectomy, and the third patient required revision of tricuspid valve repair. All patients are in New York Heart Association functional class I.

CONCLUSIONS

Partial biventricular repair is a versatile strategy that can be used to manage a variety of forms of complex congenital heart disease. Cases for which the repair is useful include those in which complete biventricular repair is unlikely to be achieved because of limited size or function of the right side of the heart and those in which a patient with a ventricle capable of supporting inferior vena caval return was previously placed on a Fontan track.