Long-Term Results of Bay Window Technique for Coronary Translocation in the Arterial Switch Operation

BACKGROUND: Accurate coronary translocation is very important for a successful arterial switch operation (ASO) for transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and to provide good long-term outcomes. We have previously reported the "bay window" technique as a useful option for coronary translocation with excellent midterm results. However, the long-term results of this technique and the morphological changes in the coronary channel have not yet been reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between September 2001 and December 2012, 33 patients with TGA underwent coronary translocation using the bay window technique concomitantly with ASO. The diagnoses were TGA with intact ventricular septum in 21, TGA with ventricular septal defect in 7, and Taussig-Bing anomaly in 5. The median age of the patients at operation was 12 days, and their median body weight was 2.93 kg. Coronary artery patterns were as follows: Shaher and Puddu's type 1 in 23, single coronary artery in 4, intramural type in 1, and others in 5. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 4.5 years. There were no operative deaths, but there was one late death because of sepsis 13 months after ASO. Coronary artery evaluation with angiography, computed tomography, or myocardial scintigraphy was performed in 22 patients. There was no abnormal coronary morphology or perfusion. Coronary channel dilatation was not observed. Three patients underwent reoperation for pulmonary stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: The bay window technique provides excellent long-term results in ASO for TGA. Three-dimensional computed tomography revealed no aneurysmal changes in the bay window channel at nine-year follow-up examination.