title: Extracardiac conduit variation of the Fontan procedure.
abstract: The ECF operation is designed to improve postoperative outcome by enhancing factors that are critical in optimal functioning of the Fontan circulation, including preservation of ventricular and pulmonary vascular function, avoidance of dysrhythmias, and prevention of stasis and flow turbulence in the Fontan circuit. Preoperative strategies include an early bidirectional Glenn procedure, and avoiding ancillary intracardiac procedures at the time of the Fontan by performing them at the time of the Glenn operation. Operative strategies include minimizing the duration of CPB by performing the conduit to pulmonary artery anastomosis off bypass, using partial instead of full CPB by cannulating the IVC alone, avoiding hypothermia, avoiding cross-clamping of the aorta, avoiding atrial incisions and suture lines, using a tubular conduit to construct the Fontan pathway, making a large conduit to pulmonary artery anastomosis, incorporating the conduit into aggressive pulmonary arterioplasties, and offsetting of the superior and inferior cavopulmonary anastomoses.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petrossian
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Hanley
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000379:methods; D018729:Fontan Procedure / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000601:surgery; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000601:surgery; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000601:surgery; D016276:Ventricular Function / Q000502:physiology