title: Flow studies on atriopulmonary and cavopulmonary connections of the Fontan operations for congenital heart defects.
abstract: A comparative flow study has been conducted on two configurations of the Fontan operations for congenital heart defects in which the right ventricle is by-passed. The study was made on rigid in vitro models of the atriopulmonary and cavopulmonary connections under steady-flow conditions. It involved using pressure and flow measurements to determine the pressure-drop coefficient, pressure-energy-loss coefficient and total-energy-loss coefficient. The cavopulmonary model was found to have much lower flow losses compared to the atriopulmonary model, especially at flow rates about 5 l min-1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering, National University of Singapore.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000601:surgery*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D008961:Models, Structural; D010166:Palliative Care; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000503:physiopathology; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*