Echocardiographic follow up:
All included patients underwent Intraoperative transesophageal
echocardiogram (TEE) as well as a routine pre-discharge TTE (first
post-operative echocardiogram). Patient follow-up and need for
reintervention were determined from the outpatient clinic charts. The
TTE was performed regularly in the outpatient setting to assess the
pressure gradient across the main pulmonary artery and the pulmonary
artery branches. In our center the follow up protocol is to do TTE after
6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year of discharge, then once yearly
unless there are pathologic changes in first year of follow up. Follow
up was available for all patients at a mean duration of 9.3 years. the
follow-up included for the purpose of this study, the valvular function
and the pulmonary artery pressure gradient.