Tissue engineered decellularized bovine pericardium as prosthetic material in paediatric cardiac surgery.

Aim: To evaluate the short-term outcomes of Tissue Engineered Decellularized Bovine pericardium (Synkroscaff®) in congenital heart surgery as a prosthetic material. Methodology: This is a prospective observational cohort study. SynkroScaff® was used as prosthetic material in cohort of successive patients under 18 years of age requiring cardiac surgery for congenital heart diseases. Patients were evaluated for residual shunt, infective endocarditis, stenosis, calcification and aneurysmal dilatation at discharge, after 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year post-operatively. Results: Ninety-two patients were included, and the patch was used in ventricular septal defect (VSD), closure, aortic arch reconstructions and pulmonary arterioplasty (tetralogy of Fallot repair). Four (4.3%) had transient heart block, one had complete heart block needing a permanent pacemaker. A residual shunt was present in less than 5% of the VSD patients which spontaneously closed within 12 months. One patient of VSD repair had a significant residual shunt requiring redo surgery. The intra-operative ease of handling was rated as 9/9 in 92.3% of patients. None of the patients were noticed to develop patch leaks, aneurysmal dilatation or calcification on 12-month follow-up. Conclusions: This tissue engineered bovine pericardium is a safe and reliable prosthetic material for corrective congenital heart surgery in short-term period.