Mid- to long-term outcomes of bovine jugular vein conduit implantation in Chinese children

Right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction surgery is widely applied to repair congenital heart defects. Among a variety of xenografts for implantation, the bovine jugular vein (BJV) conduit is considered a good replacement for homografts (1). It is cost-effective and flexible, with a wide range of sizes; therefore, it is often applied to reconstruct the RVOT in many complex cardiac malformations. Moreover, the BJV has been demonstrated to be associated with a better hemodynamic performance, lower rate of fibrocalcification, and lower antibody induction, compared to other xenografts and even homograft conduits (1-3). However, drawbacks of BJV conduits also have been noted, such as susceptibility to distal conduit stenosis; in addition, early valve incompetence and conduit thrombosis have been shown to be more prevalent in patients with BJV graft implantation (4,5). Therefore, conduit durability has been paid particular attention in Western countries; however, the relevant data and experiences in China are limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of BJV conduit failure during a mid- to long-term follow-up period in Chinese children