STENTLESS XENOGRAFT VALVE IN A TRUNCUS-ARTERIOSUS-COMMUNIS

We report the use of a recently developed stentless porcine valve in a 2-year-old child with truncus arteriosus communis (type I). The child had received no previous surgical palliation. Despite a markedly incr eased pulmonary arteriolar resistance the right ventricle was connecte d to the pulmonary artery with a homograft. The postoperative course w as complicated at first by right ventricular failure due to pulmonary hypertension and secondarily by left ventricular failure caused by rap idly increasing truncal valve incompetence. Because we did not have a suitable homograft at hand we replaced the truncal valve with a stentl ess porcine xenograft valve.