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12th Annual C. Walton Lillehei Memorial Lecture in Cardiovascular Surgery: Fontan conversion – the Chicago experience*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2011

Carl L. Backer
Carl L. Backer*
Affiliation:
Division of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
*
Correspondence to Dr C. L. Backer, MD, Division of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery, Children's Memorial Hospital, 2300 Children's Plaza, mc 22, Chicago, Illinois 60614, United States of America. Tel: +1 773 880 4378; Fax: +1 773 880 3054; E-mail: cbacker@childrensmemorial.org
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Abstract

Between 1994 and 2011, we performed 133 Fontan conversions with arrhythmia surgery. Most patients had tricuspid atresia or double-inlet left ventricle with prior atriopulmonary connection. Operative mortality was 1.5%, and mean length of stay was 14 days. A total of eight patients (6%) have had late cardiac transplantation. Freedom from arrhythmia recurrence is 85% at 10 years. For properly selected patients with a functionally univentricular heart who have had an atriopulmonary Fontan procedure, Fontan conversion with arrhythmia surgery significantly improves quality of life.

Keywords

Functionally univentricular heartcongenital heart diseasearrhythmia surgerycavopulmonary connectionCox-maze IIIarrhythmia surgeryFontan procedure
Type
Original Article
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 21 , Issue S2: A Holistic Approach to Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and other evolving challenges in Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Disease , 13 December 2011 , pp. 169 - 176
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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Footnotes

*

Presented at the 15th Annual Update on Pediatric and Congenital Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiology 2011, Scottsdale, Arizona, February 2–6, 2011.

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