Impacts of bilateral pulmonary artery banding on the surgical and long-term outcomes in hypoplastic left heart syndrome( HLHS) and its variants

Although Norwood-type operation is a fundamental procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome and its variants, the surgical risk is still high even in the high volume center. Bilateral pulmonary artery (PA) banding( BPAB) is an alternative procedure to avoid the risk in the neonatal period. We clarified the impacts of BPAB on the surgical and long-term outcomes in HLHS and its variants. Consecutive 85 patients( classical HLHS:52, variant:33) who underwent surgical intervention between July, 1993 and December, 2012 were evaluated. Fetal diagnosis was done in 37 patients (44%). Forty-two patients underwent primary Norwood operation[ Gp N, Blalock-Taussig( BT):29, right-ventricle( RV)-PA conduit:13] and the remaining 43 patients underwent BPAB followed by Norwood operation. Among them, 4 patients did not reach Norwood [9%, atrioventricular valve regurgitation (AVVR):1, infection:1, preoperative shock:2). The survived 39 patients were divided into 2 groups;Gp BN (BPAB → Norwood+BT/RV-PA conduit, n=22), Gp BG [BPAB → Norwood+bidirectional Glenn procedure(BDG), n=17]. BPAB for HLHS and its variants is useful in terms of lower mortality. The 2nd stage palliation is so important that modified Norwood procedure with BT shunt or RV-PA conduit contribute to the lower morbidity including neurological outcome. Norwood+BDG strategy might be beneficial for the high risk patients such as with poor cardiac function or low body weight.