John A. Hawkins, L. LuAnn Minich, Lloyd Y. Tani, Herbert D. Ruttenberg, Jane E. Sturtevant, Edwin C. McGough
University of Utah and Primary Children’s Hospital.
United States
Annals of Thoracic Surgery
Ann Thorac Surg 1995; 60: 55-59
DOI: Not Available
Abstract
Background: Despite theoretical advantages of absorbable suture in the growing vascular anastomosis, there has not been a documented advantage over nonabsorbable suture in preventing late anastomotic stenosis in total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).
Methods: We reviewed our experience from 1982 to 1994 with 65 hospital survivors of total TAPVC repair to examine the influence of suture type on survival and incidence of late pulmonary venous obstruction. From 1982 until 1988, we used continuous nonabsorbable polypropylene suture for the pulmonary venous-left atrial anastomosis in supracardiac, infracardiac, and mixed types of TAPVC: In 1989, we adopted a running absorbable polydioxanone suture technique. Cardiac catheterization and echocardiography were used to evaluate late pulmonary venous obstruction.
Results: Late pulmonary venous obstruction occurred in 17% (4/23) of survivors after repair with polypropylene suture compared with 3.2% (1/32) after repair with polydioxanone suture (p < 0.05). There were no instances of late pulmonary venous obstruction in the intracardiac TAPVC group (0/10). All late pulmonary venous obstructions occurred within 16 months after operation. The actuarial 3-year and 5-year freedom from late pulmonary venous obstruction was 100% for intracardiac TAPVC, 96% for the polydioxanone group, and 81% for the polypropylene group. Five patients died late (5/65, 7.7%), 3 in the polypropylene suture group (3/23, 13%) and 2 in the polydioxanone group (2/32, 6%).
Conclusions: Continuous absorbable polydioxanone suture for the repair of TAPVC results in a low incidence of late pulmonary venous obstruction and death and appears to offer advantages over a continuous nonabsorbable suture. A continuous nonabsorbable suture may limit growth of a vascular anastomosis, particularly one involving a “low-pressure” anastomosis such as in the repair of TAPVC:
Category
Stenosis or Obstruction of Pulmonary Veins Following Surgical Repair of Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connections
Surgical Interventions to Prevent or Limit Disease Associated with Repair of Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connections or Heart Transplantation
Length of Life Associated with Pulmonary Venous Obstruction
Year of Publication: 1995
Age Focus: Pediatric
Article Type: Retrospective Observational Case-Control or Other Comparative Studies
Article Access: Free PDF File or Full Text Article Available Through PubMed or DOI: No