[Comparative results of Fontan surgery in patients with and without hypoplastic left heart syndrome]

Pedro Becker Rencoret1, Santiago Besa Bandeira2, Sergio Riveros González2

  • 1División de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Insights

The Fontan procedure shows similar survival rates for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and other single ventricle conditions. However, HLHS patients experienced a longer hospital length of stay post-surgery.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Congenital Heart Surgery
  • Cardiovascular Outcomes Research

Background:

  • The Fontan procedure is a staged surgical protocol for univentricular heart disease.
  • Numerous patients have undergone this procedure in recent years.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate perioperative outcomes and survival in hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) patients after the Fontan procedure.
  • To compare these outcomes with other types of univentricular heart disease.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective analysis of 102 patients undergoing the Fontan procedure (April 1996-March 2014).
  • 25 patients had HLHS (Group I), and 77 had other univentricular heart disease (Group II).
  • Analysis included survival, demographics, hemodynamics, morbidity, mortality, ventilation, drains, post-operative stay, isotopes score, pacemaker use, and Fontan takedown.

Main Results:

  • Intraoperative mortality was 4% for HLHS and 7.8% for other univentricular types (P=.451).
  • Hospital length of stay (LOS) was significantly longer for HLHS patients (17 days) compared to others (12 days) (P=.017).
  • 8-year survival was 88% for both groups; 10-year survival was 81% for the non-HLHS group.

Conclusions:

  • The Fontan procedure demonstrates comparable long-term survival for HLHS and other single ventricle anatomies.
  • Patients with HLHS experienced similar mortality but a longer hospital LOS compared to other groups.
Abstract

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