The Unifocal Bilateral Bidirectional Cavopulmonary Anastomosis

• Published in: The Annals of thoracic surgery Vol. 84; no. 6; pp. 2134 - 2135
• Main Authors: Amodeo, Antonio, MD, Di Donato, Roberto M., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-12-2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Anastomosis, Surgical - methods; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiothoracic Surgery; Female; Heart Defects, Congenital - surgery; Heart Ventricles - abnormalities; Humans; Infant; Male; Medical sciences; Pulmonary Artery - surgery; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the heart; Surgery of the respiratory system; Vena Cava, Superior - abnormalities; Vena Cava, Superior - surgery; 21; Treatment; Respiratory disease; Surgery; Anastomosis; Bilateral; Thorax; Cavopulmonary
• ISSN: 0003-4975; 1552-6259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2007.04.071

We propose a new surgical technique to manage the presence of bilateral superior venae cavae in single ventricle patients, a recognized risk factor for both bidirectional Glenn anastomosis and Fontan completion. The idea is to convert two small, peripheral and competing bilateral bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomoses into a single, larger, and centrally located cavopulmonary connection. This technique, used in 2 patients, provides a symmetrical distribution of pulmonary blood flow and may, in fact, yield growth of the central pulmonary arteries as well as prevent thrombus formation.