Impact of afterload reduction strategies on regional tissue oxygenation after the Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Objectives: Low cerebral tissue oxygenation saturations have been observed by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) after the Norwood procedure. Altered cerebral vascular resistance and pharmacological afterload reduction redirecting blood flow away from the cerebral circulation are possible mechanisms.

Methods: Two different afterload reduction strategies were evaluated in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome or variants after the Norwood procedure.