Upper cavo-pulmonary anastomosis by transcatheter technique.

Objectives: The aim of this animal study was to establish a shunt connection between superior vena cava (SVC) and right pulmonary artery (RPA) by transvascular intervention solely.

Background: After initial shunt creation, the establishment of the upper cavo-pulmonary anastomosis (UCPA) is the second out of three open chest operations young infants with univentricular anatomy are subjected to. To avoid the risks of reoperation with cardiovascular bypass, we sought to replace this surgical step by an interventional technique.

Transcatheter creation of an aortopulmonary shunt in an animal model.

Background: The surgical creation of an aortopulmonary shunt is an important tool in the therapy of complex congenital heart defects. We report on a transcatheter approach to establish an aortopulmonary shunt in piglets.

Material, Methods And Results: In 10 piglets with a median body weight of 10.