A novel procedure for reconstructing an extensive hypoplastic aortic arch in older children

Aortic arch reconstruction is the key to successfully repairing an interrupted aortic arch (IAA) with tubular hypoplasia of the aortic arch (THAA), especially in older children. We report a novel reconstruction technique involving aortapulmonary fusion that was used to treat THAA in a 9 year-old patient with IAA. In this procedure, the underside of the aortic arch and the upside of the main pulmonary artery were fused to reconstruct the aortic arch. The short-term outcome of the procedure has been promising. This procedure may represent an alternative for repairing extensive THAA in older children.