title: New transplant technique with hemiazygos continuation and interrupted inferior vena cava.
abstract: In the presence of left superior vena cava, cardiac transplantation is performed at the risk of left superior vena cava flow obstruction. In patients with hemiazygos continuation with interrupted inferior vena cava, the patency of left superior vena cava is vital. We introduced a new surgical technique to use a Fontan connection including the native central pulmonary artery as the systemic venous return. The pulmonary artery anastomosis was performed distal to the superior vena cava anastomosis sites. We used this treatment approach successfully to perform cardiac transplantation in two patients who developed severe heart failure after Fontan completion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas. Electronic address: imamuramichiaki@uams.edu.
authors.forename: Michiaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Boban
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Xiomara
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Knecht
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frazier
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shinkawa
mesh_terms: D001401:Azygos Vein; D002648:Child; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000002:abnormalities*
keywords: 34