Completion of an interventional extracardiac Fontan

The extracardiac Fontan can be completed via transcatheter perforation of the pericardial membrane created during the preparatory stage, thus establishing continuity between the inferior vena cava and the pulmonary artery. This step is followed by deployment of a covered stent to isolate the systemic and pulmonary circuits. The procedure avoids the morbidity associated with cardiac reoperation and is a safe option for patients who present late with prohibitive pulmonary artery pressures in whom primary Fontan completion may not be feasible.