The natural history of isolated congenital pulmonary valve incompetence has been determined
by actuarial and parametric techniques from 72 cases collected from the literature,
Symptoms developed within 20 years in 6% (CL 4% to 9%) of the patients and within
40 years in 29% (CL 22% to 36%). The hazard function of the development of symptoms
demonstrates a risk increasing in time, particularly evident after 40 years. Death
followed the appearance of symptoms after an average of 39 months in 3 patients who
died. The surgical implications as regards the use of transannular patches and valveless
extracardiac conduits are discussed.
Pulmonary valve incompetence - Tetralogy of Fallot - Transannular patch - Non-valved
conduits