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The Extracardiac Total Cavopulmonary Connection For Definitive Conversion to the Fontan Circulation: Summary of Early Experience and Results
Author(s) -
Laschinger John C.,
Ringel Richard E.,
Brenner Joel I.,
McLaughlin Joseph S.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of cardiac surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.428
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1540-8191
pISSN - 0886-0440
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8191.1993.tb00407.x
Subject(s) - medicine , tricuspid atresia , cardiology , coronary sinus , dextrocardia , fontan procedure , great arteries , ventricle , surgery
A bstract Between July 1991 and March 1993, five children (ages 2 to 6 years) with complex congenital heart disease have undergone a new operation for conversion to the Fontan circulation. This procedure combines a bidirectional Glenn shunt with an extracardiac lateral tunnel (ELT) to carry systemic venous return to the pulmonary arteries (PAs). The ELT was constructed so that the circumference consists of Gore‐Tex (2/3) and lateral epicardial atrial wall (1/3). The ELT can be performed with all varieties of single ventricle physiology, as in our patients with tricuspid atresia (n = 3), dextrocardia (n = 1), and situs inversus with levocardia (n = 1). PA reconstruction was required in four patients. At follow‐up from 1 to 20 months, all patients are in New York Heart Association Class I and in normal sinus rhythm. Postoperative catheterization has revealed low PA pressures (< 12 ± 1 mmHg) and angiography has shown excellent ELT function with brisk flow into the PAs bilaterally. All patients maintain an O 2 saturation > 94% on room air. The advantages of this new extracardiac modification of Fontan's operation are: (1) aortic cross‐clamping is not usually required; (2) incorporation of lateral atrial wall in ELT allows for growth while permitting construction of a fenestration or adjustable atrial septal defect in high risk patients; (3) absence of atriotomy and intraatrial suture lines may decrease late risk of arrhythmias; (4) early or late baffle leaks cannot occur; (5) intraatrial obstruction from the baffle cannot occur; (6) coronary sinus remains in low pressure atrium; and (7) hydrodynamic benefits of the total cavopulmonary connection are preserved. We recommend this procedure for patients undergoing surgical conversion to the Fontan circulation.