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Abstract
Common arterial trunk is a congenital malformation that is relatively uncommon, representing 0.21–0.34% of congenital heart disease. Natural history, if not treated, leads to early death. Cardiac surgery has been modifying its natural course during the last 30 years by prolonging the lifespan of patients affected. Despite surgical mortality improvements over the last 10 years, morbidity still remains high, mainly due to the age of the patient, associated heart lesions, the evolution of truncal valve function and the type of conduit used for pulmonary artery reconstruction. Common arterial trunk disease still represents a significant challenge for cardiac surgeons and cardiologists regarding attempts to improve long-term outcomes and quality of life. Promising results may be achieved in the next 5 years by the tissue valve-engineering technology applied to search for the ideal conduit on the right ventricular outflow tract. This research has already started in many centers in order to reduce several unavoidable reinterventions nowadays. In this review, we will comment on the situation, focusing on the latest surgical innovations of the last 5 years.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.