Evaluation of silent thrombus after the Fontan operation.
BACKGROUND
Thromboembolic complications have been noted after the Fontan operation. However, the prevalence of silent events among an adult contemporary population is not known. Noninvasive screening by any method including computed tomography (CT) has been technically limited to date.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate a novel dual-energy CT (DECT) protocol in determining the prevalence of "silent" intracardiac thrombus and thrombus in the Fontan and pulmonary circulations among adults after the Fontan operation.


METHODS
All post-Fontan patients attending the Pacific Adult Congenital Heart Clinic were approached for study participation. Those agreeable underwent a full clinical assessment, cardiopulmonary stress testing, transthoracic echocardiogram, and DECT low kilovoltage imaging protocol.


RESULTS
Twenty-three patients were included in the study (30 ± 10 years, 26% women). Three (13%) patients had evidence of silent thrombi detected on DECT. All three of these patients had an extracardiac conduit and mural thrombus was found within the conduit. Older age at the time of the Fontan operation was associated with the presence of thrombus (21 ± 14 vs. 11 ± 6 years, P =.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Thirteen percent of adult patients post-Fontan procedure have clinically silent thrombi. These were all found among patients with an extracardiac conduit traditionally thought to be at low risk for thromboembolism. Given the significant risk of thromboembolic complications, large randomized prospective studies looking at anticoagulation therapy in all Fontan patients are urgently needed. In the meanwhile, given the important rate of silent thrombi, a systematic robust screening protocol that includes noninvasive low radiation methods such as DECT methods should be considered.
Division of Cardiology, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. jasmine.grewal@vch.ca
Jasmine
J
Grewal
Mosaad
M
Al Hussein
Jaimee
J
Feldstein
Marla
M
Kiess
Jennifer
J
Ellis
Derek
D
Human
Jonathon
J
Leipsic
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D018729:Fontan Procedure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult