Surgical treatment of Ebstein's anomaly: valve replacement and reconstruction.

Because of the relative infrequency of Ebstein's anomaly the type of effective surgical treatment remains controversial. Various authors have reported different results depending upon the type of surgical treatment involved. In TYIH between 1974-1987, 30 cases with Ebstein's anomaly have been operated upon; 12 cases underwent surgical repair and in the remaining 18 cases a tricuspid valve replacement was performed. Four out of the 12 reconstruction cases remained on cardiopulmonary by-pass (CPB) because of the failure of the right ventricle and artificial valves were implanted in these cases. One of these patients died. In all, 3 patients died as a result of annuloplasty and the postoperative courses of these patients were eventful. Among the remaining 18 patients with artificial valve replacement only one patient died and the remainder of the tricuspid valve replacement group had an uneventful postoperative period.