Surgical Atrioventricular Valve Replacement With Melody Valve in Infants and Children

Abstract

Background Pediatric patients with atrioventricular valve disease have limited options for prosthetic valve replacement in sizes P<0.001) with no significant increase in grade of regurgitation. Twelve months after implantation, cumulative incidence analysis indicated that 55% of the patients would be expected to be free from death, heart transplantation, structural valve deterioration, or valve replacement. Conclusions The Melody valve is a feasible option for surgical atrioventricular valve replacement in patients with hypoplastic annuli. The prosthesis shows acceptable short-term function and is amenable to catheter-based enlargement as the child grows. However, patients remain at risk for mortality and structural valve deterioration, despite adequate early valvular function. Device design and implantation techniques must be refined to reduce complications and extend durability. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02505074.