Reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract with a conduit in congenital heart disease.

A series of five patients with complex cyanotic congenital cardiac malformations underwent surgical reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract using a Dacron conduit with a porcine aortic valve. All patients survived and all have shown clinical improvement. At cardiac catheterization postoperatively, a pressure gradient of between 20 and 50 mm Hg across the conduit was found in all patients. This surgical approach to patients necessitating reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract is effective and appears to have the best long-term results.