Imaging analysis of platelet deposition on the extracardiac valved conduit in humans.

Abstract

In 14 patients (aged 2-29 yr) with Hancock (n = 11) or Carpentier-Edwards extracardiac valved conduits (n = 3), platelet deposition (PD) was investigated using indium 111 (111In) platelet imaging. Repeated studies were performed in five patients. By visual analysis, 71% (5/7) of the imagings (7 images/5 patients) showed PD at early study 1-3 months after surgery, 9% (1/11) at intermediate study at 6-46 months (mean 21 mon) (11 images/10 patients) and 0% at late study at 81-132 months (3 images/3 patients). Quantitative analysis was made using relative ratio of radioactivity at the graft area to the area of the brachiocephalic artery (platelet accumulation index or PAI). The PAI was 1.85 +/- 0.47 (mean +/- SD) at early study, 1.51 +/- 0.23 at intermediate, and 1.36 +/- 0.37 at late study (NS). There was no significant difference in the late pressure gradients across the conduit (16-68 mon postoperatively) between the two groups with (n = 3) and without (n = 5) PD at the early stage (1-18 mon postoperatively, n = 8). The result may indicate that PD to the valved conduit in the right ventricular (RV) outflow tract occurs early postoperatively (mostly within 3 mon). The relationship of the PD detected by this method to late obstruction was not clarified in this study.