Does a ventriculotomy have deleterious effects following palliation in the Norwood procedure using a shunt placed from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries?
BACKGROUND
A recent modification to the Norwood procedure involving a shunt placed directly from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries may improve postoperative haemodynamics. Concerns remain, however, about the potential problems produced by the required ventriculotomy.


METHODS
We compared 76 patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who underwent the Norwood procedure, 35 receiving a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt and the remaining 41 a shunt placed directly from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries. We reviewed their subsequent progress through the second stage of palliation. A single observer graded right ventricular function, and the severity of tricuspid regurgitation, based on blinded review of the most recent echocardiograms prior to the second stage of palliation.


RESULTS
At the time of catheterization prior to the second stage, patients with a shunt placed from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries, rather than a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, had higher arterial diastolic blood pressure, at 44 versus 40 millimetres of mercury, p equal to 0.02, lower ventricular end diastolic pressures, at 8 versus 11 millimetres of mercury, p equal to 0.0002, and larger pulmonary arteries as judged using the Nakata index, at 270 versus 188 millimetres squared per metres squared, p equal to 0.009. There was no difference in qualitative ventricular systolic function or tricuspid regurgitation between groups. No differences were found between groups during the hospitalization following the second stage of palliation. A trend towards improved survival to the second stage was seen following the construction of a shunt from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries.


CONCLUSIONS
Construction of a shunt from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries is associated with lower right ventricular end diastolic pressures, larger pulmonary arterial size, and higher systemic arterial diastolic pressures. No apparent deleterious effects of the right ventriculotomy were observed in terms of qualitative ventricular systolic function or tricuspid regurgitation.
Graham
Eric M
EM
Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
Atz
Andrew M
AM
Bradley
Scott M
SM
Scheurer
Mark A
MA
Bandisode
Varsha M
VM
Laudito
Antonio
A
Shirali
Girish S
GS
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D003971:Diastole; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D018636:Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007223:Infant; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D013599:Systole; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D017725:Ventricular Pressure / Q000502:physiology