Healing Hearts: Empowering Pediatric Critical Care Providers Cardiac Lesion Series: RV to PA Conduit
Aug 26, 2025
Explore the intricacies of Right Ventricle to Pulmonary Artery Conduit replacement in pediatric heart surgery. Discover the complex risks and considerations tied to specific heart lesions requiring this intervention. Learn how conduits affect patient growth and the innovative advancements in transcatheter pulmonary valve replacements. Gain insights into the challenges and opportunities in managing right heart function post-tetralogy of Fallot repair.
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Conduits Are Widely Used And Variable
- RV-to-PA conduit replacement is a common procedure across many congenital lesions requiring a durable outflow tract.
- Conduit type and availability depend on surgeon preference and size needs, not always ideal for the patient.
Two Main Failure Modes
- Conduits fail mainly by stenosis from calcification or by valve insufficiency causing regurgitation.
- Factors like abnormal flow patterns or immune responses can accelerate calcification and failure.
Infants Usually Need Early Reoperation
- Infants with truncus arteriosus get conduits that won't grow with them, so they almost always need another surgery in childhood.
- Dr. Laura Ortmann notes many infants require upsizing within the first couple years due to patient growth.