Avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass in extracardiac cavopulmonary connection: does it really matter?

Objectives: We examined the effect of avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass on the early outcome variables after fenestrated extracardiac total cavopulmonary connection.

Methods: Between May 2001 and January 2009, 102 patients with univentricular heart physiology underwent fenestrated extracardiac total cavopulmonary connection. Patients were divided into one of 2 groups: the cardiopulmonary bypass (n = 48) group and the no cardiopulmonary bypass (n = 54) group.