Related Experiment Videos
Late systemic desaturation after total cavopulmonary shunt operations
O Stümper1, J G Wright, M Sadiq
1Heart Unit, Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Insights
Total cavopulmonary shunt (TCPC) operations in children with complex heart defects can lead to systemic venous collaterals, causing significant desaturation. Transcatheter embolisation of these vessels offers effective relief and improves oxygen saturation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Congenital Heart Surgery
- Vascular Interventions
Background:
- Total cavopulmonary shunt (TCPC) offers interim palliation for complex congenital heart disease.
- Long-term outcomes after TCPC in specific pediatric populations remain underreported.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the medium-term results of TCPC operations.
- To identify complications and assess outcomes in children with left atrial isomerism and interrupted inferior vena cava.
Main Methods:
- Follow-up of six pediatric patients undergoing TCPC.
- Assessment of clinical status, oxygen saturation (rest and exercise), and cardiac catheterization findings.
- Intervention via transcatheter embolisation for identified complications.
Main Results:
- No early or late mortality observed.
- Development of systemic venous to hepatic venous collaterals in 75% of patients, leading to significant desaturation.
- Successful transcatheter embolisation improved oxygen saturation by 6-10%.
Conclusions:
- Systemic venous to hepatic venous collaterals are a frequent complication post-TCPC.
- These collaterals significantly impair oxygenation during rest and exercise.
- Transcatheter embolisation is an effective treatment for improving outcomes.
Objectives:
To assess the medium-term results of total cavopulmonary shunt operations in children with left atrial isomerism, interrupted inferior vena cava, and complex congenital heart defects.
Background:
Creation of a total cavopulmonary shunt provides very good interim palliation for children with interrupted inferior vena cava and complex congenital heart disease; however, longer term results after this operation have not been reported.
Methods:
Detailed follow up of six children who underwent creation of a total cavopulmonary shunt at a tertiary referral centre.
Results:
There were no early or late deaths. Oxygen saturations at discharge ranged from 89% to 92% (mean 90%). At last follow up (mean 4.7 years) saturations at rest ranged from 73% to 81% (mean 77%) (P < 0.05). All patients underwent exercise stress testing. At peak exercise oxygen saturations ranged from 62% to 87% (mean 71.5%) and during recovery from 68% to 85% (mean 78%). Cardiac catheterisation was performed in five patients with saturations of less than 80% at rest or peak exercise. No patient had pulmonary arteriovenous fistula. Systemic venous to hepatic venous collaterals were documented in four patients. These were localised below the diaphragm in three and above the diaphragm in one patient. The collateral vessel was successfully embolised in three of these patients, with a rise in resting oxygen saturations from 6 to 10% (mean 7%).
Conclusions:
The development of systemic venous to hepatic venous collaterals is a common complication in patients who undergo a total cavopulmonary shunt operation. This can lead to significant desaturation at rest and during exercise. Detailed angiographic studies of the infradiaphragmatic system veins is required for diagnosis. Transcatheter embolisation of such vessels gives good relief.