Impact of Truncal Valve Repair on Survival, Reintervention, and Left Ventricular Function

Abstract

BackgroundTruncal valve insufficiency (TVI) is one of the risk factors for death in neonatal primary repair for common arterial trunk (CAT). MethodsIn this single-center retrospective case-matched controlled study, 16 consecutive CAT patients from 2000 to 2018 with moderate to severe truncal valve regurgitation (TVR2-3), undergoing primary CAT surgery with truncal valve repair, were matched to 16 CAT patients with none or mild truncal valve regurgitation (TVR1-0). ResultsThe TVR2-3 group had 11 (69%) patients with moderate and 5 (31%) patients with severe TVI, with an operative median age of 7 (4-19) days. Survival at median follow-up of 17 years after repair was 70% and 80% in the TVR2-3 and TVR0-1 groups, respectively (P > .99), with 2 early deaths in the TVR2-3 group occurring after reintervention for residual TVI. Rate of surgical truncal valve reintervention at 5 years postoperatively was 67% for TVR2-3 (P = .005). TVR2-3 experienced greater residual TVI at discharge and 1 year after repair, with severity of truncal valve dysfunction converging between groups as more patients in TVR0-1 developed mild to moderate TVI over time and TVR2-3 patients underwent reintervention for clinically significant TVI. Significant left ventricular (LV) dilation was observed in the TVR2-3 group after 3 years from repair (P = .001), but LV ejection fraction was comparable between groups. ConclusionsTruncal valve reintervention burden (ie, repair or replacement) is greater in the TVR2-3 population, with higher truncal valve–related early death. Progressive LV enlargement in the TVR2-3 group due to residual TVI was well tolerated. Ventricular remodeling did not have a notable impact on LV ejection fraction or clinical status.