Surgical treatment of complex congenital heart defects: recent developments with valved external conduits.

The use of valved external conduits has majorly expanded the place of corrective operations for children with a variety of congenital cardiac defects. Initially they were employed to correct patients with congenital pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect and subsequently placed between the venous ventricle and pulmonary artery for a number of other complex malformations. More recently they have been placed between the right atrium and pulmonary artery and between the systemic (left) ventricle and aorta. Surgical techniques, early and late results of these procedures are discussed.