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Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Zebrafish Brain Ventricle Injection
Published on: April 6, 2009
Converting Fontan-Björk to 1.5- or 2-Ventricle Circulation
Kali A Hopkins1, John W Brown2, Robert K Darragh3
1Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Abstract:
Patients with tricuspid atresia and ventricular septal defect have in the past occasionally undergone a Fontan with "Björk" modification to create a connection between the right atrium and the right ventricular outflow tract. Although rarely performed now, patients with this physiology often face severe complications requiring reintervention. We hypothesize that surgical conversion to a 2-ventricle or 1.5-ventricle circulation can improve hemodynamics, clinical status, and thus increase time to transplant. We present 2 successful cases to illustrate this idea.
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