title: The Blalock-Taussig shunt in the newborn infant.
abstract: Children with pulmonary oligemia often require palliation in the newborn period. The Blalock-Taussig shunt has been shown to offer adequate palliation in the older child, but its use in the newborn period remains controversial. A retrospective review of 51 neonates younger than age 2 weeks undergoing a Blalock-Taussig shunt (or modification) was performed. The operative mortality rate was 5.8%. Six children (15.4%) required reoperation in the first year of life for inadequate shunt function. The modification with interposition grafts necessitated reoperation more often than shunts performed with the subclavian artery.
authors.affiliation: Wilford Hall United States Air Force Medical Center, San Antonio, TX 78236-5300.
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Caggiano
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Knauf
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alexander
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010166:Palliative Care; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013348:Subclavian Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate