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Successful single lung fontan operation in 2 children: case reports
D Schmauss1, I Kaczmarek, J Sachweh
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. Daniel.Schmauss@med.uni-muenchen.de
The Heart Surgery Forum
|June 30, 2007
Summary
Single ventricle physiology patients can undergo successful Fontan operations even with only one lung. This demonstrates that absence of a lung is not a contraindication for Fontan palliation in select cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Congenital Heart Disease Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery
Background:
- Single ventricle physiology presents complex surgical challenges.
- The Fontan operation is a palliative procedure for single ventricle defects.
- Pulmonary hypoplasia or absence of a lung can complicate surgical planning.
Observation:
- Two pediatric patients (3 and 4 years old) with single ventricle physiology and a single right lung were evaluated.
- Both patients successfully underwent the Fontan operation despite the anatomical anomaly.
Findings:
- Successful midterm outcomes were achieved in both patients.
- The absence of one lung did not prevent a successful Fontan palliation.
- Optimal hemodynamics were a key factor in the successful surgical outcome.
Implications:
- Absence of a lung should not be considered an absolute contraindication for Fontan palliation.
- Careful patient selection with assessment of hemodynamics is crucial.
- This finding expands the potential candidate pool for Fontan surgery in complex congenital heart disease.