Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Blalock-Taussig shunt: experience from the developing world.

Jamal S Rana1, Kaashif A Ahmad, Aliya S Shamim

  • 1School of Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. jrana@caregroup.harvard.edu

Heart, Lung & Circulation
|December 15, 2005
PubMed
Summary

The Blalock-Taussig shunt is a safe palliative procedure for congenital heart defects, especially in developing countries. This study analyzed its use in 70 procedures, showing good outcomes with fewer resources needed.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Correction: Probiotics and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants after the food and drug administration warning actions.

Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association·2026
Same author

Lack of documented prophylactic vitamin K administration in newborns: incidence, predictors, and bleeding outcomes in a large healthcare network population.

Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association·2026
Same author

Trends in Cardiac Arrest Mortality Among Young Adults in the United States, 1999 to 2024.

JACC. Advances·2026
Same author

To Cool or Not to Cool in Low- and Middle-Income Countries:? A Call for Resources, Training and Shared Knowledge.

The Journal of pediatrics·2026
Same author

Cannabis Use Before or During Pregnancy and Subsequent Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

JACC. Advances·2026
Same author

AI-CVD-HF: A heart failure risk prediction model based on coronary artery calcium scans compared with PREVENT-HF.

American journal of preventive cardiology·2026

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Congenital Heart Disease Surgery
  • Palliative Cardiac Procedures

Background:

  • Palliative cardiac procedures are vital for congenital heart malformations when complete early repair is not feasible or available.
  • Limited data exists on the modified Blalock-Taussig shunt in developing nations, necessitating this analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Blalock-Taussig shunt as a palliative procedure in a developing country context.
  • To analyze outcomes of modified Blalock-Taussig shunt procedures in infants and children with congenital cardiac malformations.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective study was conducted on 70 Blalock-Taussig shunt procedures in 63 patients over an 8-year period.
  • The study focused on patients with congenital cardiac malformations, with a majority (54.0%) being infants under 4 months old.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Tetralogy of Fallot was the most common diagnosis (58%), alongside a diverse range of other cardiac lesions.

    • Main Results:

    • The modified Blalock-Taussig shunt was predominantly used after the first year.
    • Long-term follow-up in 49 patients revealed a 6% incidence of clinical congestive cardiac failure and a 14% rate of shunt failure.
    • Of the 33% total deaths, six patients had significant preoperative comorbidities.

    Conclusions:

    • The Blalock-Taussig shunt is a relatively safe palliative option for congenital heart disease.
    • This procedure requires fewer resources and less specialized expertise compared to corrective surgery.
    • It is a suitable and effective surgical option for developing countries with limited healthcare facilities.