Achievements and Limitations of a Strategy of Rehabilitation of Native Pulmonary Vessels in Pulmonary Atresia, Ventricular Septal Defect, and Major Aortopulmonary Collateral Arteries

Abstract

Background A strategy of rehabilitation for pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect, and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (PA/VSD/MAPCAs) comprises repetitive shunting and patching procedures of the central pulmonary arteries. We wanted to determine the feasibility and limitations of a strategy of rehabilitation. Methods The outcomes of 37 consecutive patients operated from June 2003 to December 2014 for PA/VSD/MAPCAs were reviewed. The patients were directed to a rehabilitation strategy, except when they presented in heart failure with very large collaterals. Results Four patients with very large MAPCAs underwent a one-stage repair with unifocalization of collateral vessels at ..