Contegra Pulmonary Valved Conduit

The Contegra pulmonary valved conduit is placed either inside the heart in the natural position of the pulmonary valve or it is placed outside of the heart to provide an alternative path for blood flow.

Overview

Unfortunately, some children are born with heart valves that do not control the flow of blood through the heart as they should. Called congenital heart valve defects, these conditions have to be treated so that the child has a chance at living a normal life. Heart valves in children can also become diseased, damaged, or weakened after they are born. The Contegra^® pulmonary valved conduit is used to correct or reconstruct the path that blood takes to travel from the heart to the lungs.

Placement

This valve is implanted either in the natural position of the pulmonary valve or it’s placed outside the heart to give blood a different path to move from the heart to the lungs. How it is placed will be determined by your surgeon and your child’s specific condition.

Features

The Contegra pulmonary valved conduit is an animal jugular vein that contains a valve with three leaflets that are similar to a human heart valve. It’s designed to allow blood to flow freely from the heart’s right ventricle into the pulmonary arteries which lead to the lungs.

Next: Getting Heart Valve Surgery

Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.

Last updated: 16 Mar 2009