Baseline characteristics
| Cavopulmonary shunt (n = 35) | Aortopulmonary shunt(s) only (n = 15) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics, diagnosis | |||
| Age at last palliation (years) | 12 (1–35) | 1 day to 53 | 0.980 |
| Male | 13 (37%) | 8 (33.3%) | 0.233 |
| Diagnosis | |||
| Double inlet ventricle | 11(31%) | 3 (20%) | |
| Triscuspid atresia | 13 (37%) | 8 (53%) | |
| Isomeric atrial appendages | 4 (11%) | 2 (13%) | |
| Pulmonary atresia/intact septum | 3 (9%) | 1 (7%) | |
| Other hypoplastic ventricle1-150 | 4 (11%) | 1 (7%) | |
| Left ventricular morphology | 32 (91%) | 13 (87%) | 0.607 |
| Antegrade flow (ventricle to pulmonary artery) | 191-151 | 9 | 0.933 |
| Previous palliation, once | 24 (67%) | 9 (60%) | 0.558 |
| Previous palliation, twice | 4 (11%) | 2 (13%) | 0.849 |
| Preoperative class | |||
| NYHA class | 0.098 | ||
| I | 1 (3%) | 1 (7%) | |
| II | 17 (49%) | 3 (20%) | |
| III | 16 (46%) | 11 (73%) | |
| IV | 1 (3%) | – | |
| Mean (SD) haemoglobin (g/l) | 187 (29) | 184 (43) | 0.850 |
| Mean (SD) oxygen saturation (%) | 78.6 (8.3) | 82.1 (6.4) | 0.202 |
| Mean (SD) pulmonary artery pressure (mm Hg) | 14.4 (4.1) | 22.1 (13.4) | 0.013 |
| Reasons for not performing a Fontan modification (at last palliation) | |||
| Hypoplastic/distorted pulmonary arteries | 13 (37%) | 7 (47%) | |
| Impaired ventricular function (⩾ III) | 10 (29%) | – | |
| Atrioventricular valve regurgitation (⩾ II) | 3 (9%) | – | |
| Mean pulmonary artery pressure > 18 mm Hg | – | 4 (27%) | |
| Complex pulmonary venous return | 3 (9%) | 1 (7%) | |
| Age < 2 years | 1 (3%) | 2 (13%) | |
| High risk candidate/patient declined1-152 | 5 (14%) | 1 (7%) | |
(%) Percentage per group.
↵1-150 Associated with straddling, ebsteinoid or atretic atrioventricular valve.
↵1-151 Including all 11 patients who had a cavopulmonary shunt only.
↵1-152 Combination of more than one risk factor13 for a Fontan procedure and patient or family preference to proceed with a lower risk palliation.