Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: palliation without cardiopulmonary bypass

Our 100% mortality rate with first-stage palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome performed with cardiopulmonary bypass led us to a procedure not necessitating bypass. In nine neonates with this congenital heart defect, a woven Dacron graft was placed from the main pulmonary artery to the descending thoracic aorta. The patent ductus arteriosus was ligated and the main pulmonary artery banded distal to the graft and proximal to the bifurcation. Five patients were extubated within 4 days. Only low-dose inotropic support was required in eight of the nine. There were no bleeding problems. Four patients died in the hospital: one of Candida sepsis at 81 days, one of low cardiac output at 2 days, and two of restrictive atrial septal defect at 3 and 5 days. The five living patients were discharged 11 to 80 days postoperatively (mean 38 days). We now perform balloon septostomies preoperatively in all patients and believe that this will improve the survival rate. We believe this simpler approach to the treatment of hypoplastic left heart syndrome may allow survival for a cardiac transplant or a staged Fontan procedure at a later date for more definitive treatment.