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Objectives: To report the clinical outcomes (early death, late death, and rate of reintervention) and performance of the Contegra conduit as a right ventricle outflow tract implant and to determine the risk factors for early reintervention. Methods: Forty-nine Contegra conduits were implanted between January 2002 and June 2009. Data collection was retrospective. The mean age and follow-up duration of Contegra recipients was 3.5 ± 4.6 years and 4.2 ± 2.0 years, respectively. Results: There were three deaths (two early, one late), giving a survival rate of 93.9%. The rate of conduit-related reintervention was 19.6% and was most often due to distal conduit stenosis. Age at implantation of 22 mm) remains the first choice of implant in older children. The rates of reintervention are significantly higher with a diagnosis of truncus arteriosus, age at implantation of

Kingella kingae , a HACEK (Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Aggregatibacter aphrophilus, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens, Kingella kingae) organism, is a common resident of the upper airway in children; it has been associated with endocarditis in children with pre-existing heart conditions. This case report describes K. kingae endocarditis leading to valvular damage in a previously healthy 18-month-old child. Our patient developed a K. kingae bacteremia that was later complicated by meningitis, septic embolic stroke, and endocarditis of the mitral valve, leading to perforation of the posterolateral leaflet. The patient was initially treated conservatively with cefotaxime but, subsequently, required a mitral valve repair with a pericardial patch and annuloplasty. This report draws attention to the need for clinicians to be aware of the potentially serious complications of K. kingae infection in young children. If K. kingae infection is suspected then therapy should be initiated promptly with a β-lactam, followed by early echocardiographic assessment. This case also highlights the lack of specific guidelines available for K. kingae endocarditis.