The Blalock-Taussig shunt in the neonate. 1978

H Laks, and L Fagan, and H B Barner, and V L Willman

With improvements in the techniques of microvascular surgery, the Blalock-Taussig shunt has been applied to smaller infants. We report our experience in 17 neonates (mean age 9 days, mean weight 3.2 kg) who underwent emergency shung operations. The early mortality was 17.6% (3 of 17), with only 1 death (7%) from renal failure and sepsis, in the last 14 patients. Three shunts were patent but inadequate and required a secondary procedure, which was successful in all 3. There were 3 patients with late shunt failures at a mean of 15 months postoperatively, while 2 are still doing well at 15 and 18 months. No patients developed congestive cardiac failure. The late mortality was high (5 of 14), but was due to late shunt failure and was preventable in only 1 patient. These results are encouraging, and we continue to perform the Blalock-Taussig shung in neonates. It is hoped that improvements in technique will reduce the incidence of inadequate shunts.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D011651 Pulmonary Artery The short wide vessel arising from the conus arteriosus of the right ventricle and conveying unaerated blood to the lungs. Arteries, Pulmonary,Artery, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Arteries
D011666 Pulmonary Valve Stenosis The pathologic narrowing of the orifice of the PULMONARY VALVE. This lesion restricts blood outflow from the RIGHT VENTRICLE to the PULMONARY ARTERY. When the trileaflet valve is fused into an imperforate membrane, the blockage is complete. Pulmonary Stenosis,Pulmonary Stenoses,Pulmonary Valve Stenoses,Pulmonic Stenosis,Stenoses, Pulmonary,Stenoses, Pulmonary Valve,Stenosis, Pulmonary,Stenosis, Pulmonary Valve,Valvular Pulmonic Stenosis,Pulmonary Stenose,Pulmonic Stenoses,Pulmonic Stenoses, Valvular,Pulmonic Stenosis, Valvular,Stenose, Pulmonary,Stenoses, Pulmonic,Stenosis, Pulmonic,Valvular Pulmonic Stenoses
D001807 Blood Vessel Prosthesis Device constructed of either synthetic or biological material that is used for the repair of injured or diseased blood vessels. Vascular Prosthesis,Blood Vessel Prostheses,Tissue-Engineered Vascular Graft,Graft, Tissue-Engineered Vascular,Grafts, Tissue-Engineered Vascular,Prostheses, Blood Vessel,Prostheses, Vascular,Prosthesis, Blood Vessel,Prosthesis, Vascular,Tissue Engineered Vascular Graft,Tissue-Engineered Vascular Grafts,Vascular Graft, Tissue-Engineered,Vascular Grafts, Tissue-Engineered,Vascular Prostheses,Vessel Prostheses, Blood,Vessel Prosthesis, Blood
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260 Female Females
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006330 Heart Defects, Congenital Developmental abnormalities involving structures of the heart. These defects are present at birth but may be discovered later in life. Congenital Heart Disease,Heart Abnormalities,Abnormality, Heart,Congenital Heart Defect,Congenital Heart Defects,Defects, Congenital Heart,Heart Defect, Congenital,Heart, Malformation Of,Congenital Heart Diseases,Defect, Congenital Heart,Disease, Congenital Heart,Heart Abnormality,Heart Disease, Congenital,Malformation Of Heart,Malformation Of Hearts

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