Pulmonary artery banding operation and results of terminal biventricular and univentricular repair

Objective: In this study, we report the current indications, early-midterm results and the outcome of pulmonary artery banding (PAB) operation after definitive repair.

Methods: Between 2000 and 2007, 28 infants underwent PAB operation. Ages were between 21 days and 6 months (mean 3.0+/-1.7 months). All patients had pulmonary hypertension at systemic level. Fourteen patients were candidates for terminal biventricular repair [atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) (n=6), double outlet right ventricle (DORV) +ventricular septal defect (VSD) (n=4), Swiss cheese VSD (n=2), transposition of the great arteries (TGA) +Swiss cheese VSD (n=1), ASD+VSD+aortic coarctation (n=1)], and the remaining 14 were candidates for terminal univentricular repair [double inlet left ventricle (n=5), double inlet right ventricle (n=2), AVSD+left ventricular (LV) hypoplasia (n=2), DORV+LV hypoplasia (n=2); tricuspid atresia (n=1), left AV valve atresia (n=1), TGA+Swiss cheese VSD+LV hypoplasia (n=1).

Results: Three patients (1 in biventricular group; 2 in univentricular group) died in the early postoperative period (10.7%). Three patients needed long duration of mechanical ventilatory support. Twenty- three of the surviving patients (92%) were followed -up between 1 month to 7 years. Currently 7 patients underwent successful biventricular repair and five patients underwent univentricular repair (extracardiac Fontan 3; Glenn 2). Two patients died early and 1 patient died 1 year after extracardiac Fontan operation. Survival for biventricular group was 92.8% at 1 and 4 years and 85.7% and 58.4% respectively for univentricular group (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Pulmonary artery banding operation has still a significant role in the palliation of certain congenital cardiac anomalies. Outcome of patients who are candidates for biventricular repair is better than the univentricular repairs.