[The pulmonary artery closure may be a thromboembolic risk factor in patients with bidirectional cavo-pulmonary (Glenn) shunt].
Postoperative thrombosis after the Fontan procedure has been well noted in the literature, and its risk factors are also well known. In contrast, thrombosis after the bilateral cavo-pulmonary shunt (Glenn) has been rarely reported and almost always occurs around the anastomosis itself or near it, mainly causing pulmonary embolism. We present 2 cases with cerebral embolism 2-7 months after pulmonary artery closure and Glenn procedure, due to dislodgement of a thrombus in the proximal pulmonary artery stump. Based on these two cases and a few others reported in the literature, we want to call the attention to this new cause of thromboembolism after Glenn and stimulate discussion about its incidence, risk factors and preventive measures.
Villagrá
F
F
Servicio de Cirugía Cardíaca y Cardiología Infantil. Clínica de la Zarzuela. Madrid, Spain. Villabert@bitmailer.net
Pérez De León
J
J
Rodríguez
M
M
Tamarit
A
A
Vellibre
D
D
Arribas
N
N
D005260:Female; D018610:Heart Bypass, Right / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012307:Risk Factors; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology*