Medical records of all patients who underwent Fontan completion from January 2002 to December 2010 were reviewed. Echocardiographic, catheterization, and peri-operative data were recorded. Outcome of Fontan procedure using Contegra conduit was compared with those constructed with Dacron tube. All patients received anticoagulation using heparin in the immediate postoperative period and later on Coumadin to maintain therapeutic level of INR. The primary outcome was the prevalence of thrombotic complication and the survival in the two groups. Chi-square was used to compare the categorical variables. Independent 2 sample t-test was used to compare the pre-operative and postoperative numerical variables in the two groups and Kaplan meier curve and Log Rank test were generated to compare the time interval of the two primary outcomes of the two groups.
Seventy-six patients underwent Fontan procedure, using Contegra (n = 47) and Dacron tube (n = 29). The two groups matched with regard to demographic variables, preoperative hemodynamic data, intra-operative and post-operative outcome. Thrombotic complications occurred within the first 30 days in 6/47 (13 % ) in Contegra and 3/29 (10 % ) in Dacron group and the difference was not significant (p = 0.983). Relative risk of thrombosis in Contegra group was 0.949 (95 % CI = 0.8-1.3). The mean follow up for the whole group was 87 months. The mean follow up for Contegra group was 70 months and 95 months for the Dacron group but this difference was not significant (p = 0.304). Nine patients died: Contegra 7/47, Dacron, 2/28 (p = 0.486). Relative risk of dying in Contegra group was 0.909 (95 % CI = 0.8-1.1).
This is the largest series evaluating the outcome of extra-cardiac Fontan procedure using Contegra conduit. Our results suggest that using Contegra conduit does not increase the risk of thrombotic complication or death compared to Fontan completion using Dacron tube.