From Oct/90 to Dec/97, 49 patients with complex cyanotic congenital heart disease underwent bidirectional Glenn anastomosis (BGA). Age at operation ranged from 7 months to 25 years (mean = 4.0 ± 4.8 years). The most frequent malformation was tricuspid atresia (53.1%). Palliative procedures were previously performed in 25 (51.0%) patients. Preoperative pulmonary artery pressure ranged from 6 to 33 mmHg (mean = 13.1 ± 4.8). All operations were done with cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest was used in 49% of patients. In 21 (42.9%) patients the native pulmonary blood flow was maintained to assure pulsatility. Additional procedures were used in 16 occasions. The overall hospital survival was 91.8%; 45 patients were followed for a mean period of 3.2 ± 1.4 years (4 months to 7 years). There were two early deaths (tromboembolism and "take-down" tentative). Two patients with severe stenosis of the left pulmonary artery, corrected at the same time as the BGA, developed exclusion of the pulmonary branch after 2 and 3 years postoperatively. Twelve patients underwent a second procedure for conversion to total cavopulmonary anastomosis with two early deaths and one late death. Two patients are waiting for total correction. There are presently 27 patients with the primary operation (BGA) in good clinical condition. Considering reoperations good results have been achieved in 73.4% of the patients.
Surgical anastomosis; Heart defects; Surgical anastomosis
