Avoidance of malignant arrhythmia caused by displacement of the right coronary artery ostium in surgical correction of supravalvular aortic stenosis

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to identify the effects of different surgical approaches on the right coronary artery ostium in patients with congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) and to determine how to avoid surgically induced right coronary artery occlusion. METHODS: The surgical techniques and outcomes of 91 patients who underwent surgical treatment of SVAS from 2008 to 2015 in our institution were retrospectively reviewed to identify the causes of early death, reoperation, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. RESULTS: Four perioperative deaths (Doty’s technique, n = 4), six cases of ECMO support (Doty’s technique, n = 4; Brom’s technique, n = 1; McGoon’s technique, n = 1), and eight reoperations (Doty’s technique, n = 5; Brom’s technique, n = 2; McGoon’s technique, n = 1) occurred. In cases of reoperation, adjustment of the shape and position of the right coronary sinus patch relieved the malignant arrhythmia. CONCLUSION: Different surgical techniques have different effects on the right coronary artery. The shape of the patch inserted into the right coronary sinus should be carefully clipped to avoid distortion and ischemia of the right coronary artery.