Twenty-year surgical experience with congenital supravalvar aortic stenosis.

Background: Congenital supravalvar aortic stenosis (SVAS) is an arteriopathy associated with Williams-Beuren syndrome and other elastin gene deletions. Our objectives were to review outcomes of congenital SVAS repair and to compare prosthetic patch repair techniques to all-autologous slide aortoplasty.

Methods: Congenital SVAS repairs from 1988 to 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Peak instantaneous gradients were estimated by Doppler interrogation. Variables were compared by either Student's t test or Fisher's exact test. Risk factors were analyzed by chi(2) test. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results: Of 25 primary SVAS repairs, there were 10 all-autologous slide aortoplasties and 15 prosthetic patch aortoplasties. The prosthetic patch group included the Doty technique (n = 9), patch-augmented slide aortoplasty (n = 3), modified Brom technique (n = 1), interposition graft (n = 1), and two-sinus patch with transverse arch augmentation (n = 1). There was 1 early and 1 late death. Cumulative survival for all patients was 96% at 5 and 10 years. Event-free survival did not differ between groups (p = 0.481). There were 2 late reoperations (both were prosthetic patch patients with bicuspid aortic valve: 1 with recurrent aortic valve stenosis and 1 with aortic insufficiency). Bicuspid aortic valve was the only risk factor for reoperation (p = 0.003). Three patients weighing less than 10 kg with diffuse disease underwent attempted slide aortoplasty: 2 required patch augmentation and 1 had a recurrent gradient in less than 1 year postoperatively.

Conclusions: Outcomes after SVAS repair were good by any technique. No advantage to all-autologous slide aortoplasty was apparent at current follow-up. Based on our experience, slide aortoplasty is not recommended for small patients with diffuse disease.