Valve-sparing repair with intraoperative balloon dilation in tetralogy of Fallot: Midterm results and therapeutic implications.

OBJECTIVES: The significant morbidity of long-term pulmonary regurgitation (PR) has driven the development of pulmonary valve (PV) sparing repair strategies in patients with tetralogy of Fallot (ToF). We assessed mid-term PV function in patients who underwent primary ToF repair with valve-sparing intraoperative balloon dilation (IBD) technique.

METHODS: We evaluated 162 consecutive patients with ToF and pulmonary stenosis (ToF-PS) who underwent valve-sparing repair with IBD under 1 year of age.

RESULTS: Median age at surgery was 98 days (interquartile range [IQR], 72-126) and median follow-up was 2.5 years (IQR, 0.6-4.9). Median preoperative PV annulus z score was -2.2 (IQR, -2.5 to -1.8). Twenty-five patients (15.4%) required reintervention for residual valvular stenosis. Multivariable analysis demonstrated preoperative annulus z score less than -2.45 (P = .036) and younger age at surgery (P = .001) were independent risk factors for early reintervention for stenosis. Freedom from at least moderate PR was 77%, 61%, and 43% at 1, 3, and 5 years postrepair. Right ventricular dimensions were not significantly different compared with a matched cohort of patients undergoing transannular patch repair at midterm follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ToF-PS who undergo valve-sparing repair with IBD develop progressive PR. Compared with transannular patch repair, the extent of RV dilation at midterm follow-up is not significantly different. Patients younger than 3 months of age and those with an annulus z score less than -2.45 experience higher rates of early reintervention for PV stenosis. In these patient subgroups, alternative strategies should be considered. This study suggests valve-sparing repair with IBD does not preserve long-term PV function in patients with ToF-PS.