Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 30, 2025

Wireless Telemetry Device Implantation in a Fontan Ovine Model for Continuous and Long-Term Hemodynamic Monitoring
06:29

Wireless Telemetry Device Implantation in a Fontan Ovine Model for Continuous and Long-Term Hemodynamic Monitoring

Published on: May 2, 2025

269

Management of the Borderline Left Heart and Alternatives to Fontan

Sitaram M Emani1

  • 1Department of Cardiac Surgery, 1862Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA.

World Journal for Pediatric & Congenital Heart Surgery
|September 2, 2022
PubMed

Insights

This review discusses strategies for managing borderline left heart conditions, including biventricular repair and newer left heart recruitment approaches. It highlights criteria for selecting patients and alternatives to Fontan circulation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric cardiology
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Cardiac surgery

Background:

  • Borderline left heart presents complex management challenges.
  • Current strategies include single ventricle and biventricular repair.
  • Left heart recruitment is an emerging option for select patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review left heart recruitment strategies.
  • To explore alternatives to Fontan circulation.
  • To outline decision-making criteria for borderline left heart management.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of left heart recruitment and Fontan alternatives.
  • Analysis of decision-making criteria for borderline left heart repair.
  • Discussion of hemodynamic assessment using cardiac catheterization.

Main Results:

  • Left heart recruitment offers a potential alternative for specific patients.
  • Decision-making relies on left heart structure size/function and hemodynamics.
  • Cardiac catheterization is crucial for hemodynamic evaluation.

Conclusions:

  • Left heart recruitment is a viable strategy for select patients with borderline left heart.
  • Careful patient selection based on anatomical and hemodynamic factors is essential.
  • Understanding alternatives to Fontan circulation is critical for optimal outcomes.

Keywords:
Fontancongenital heart surgeryhypoplastic left heart syndromestaged ventricular recruitment

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