title: Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation in a patient with the failing Fontan circulation.
abstract: We report a 23-year-old patient undergoing functionally univentricular repair who developed cardiac failure due primarily to systemic ventricular dysfunction. The failing Fontan circulation was successfully re-established using intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation. Aortic counterpulsation facilitates recovery of systemic ventricular function, and appears to be a reasonable alternative in select instances of cardiac failure in patients with the Fontan circulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. ujjwalchowdhury@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ujjwal K
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Shyam S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kothari
authors.forename: Ganapathy K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male