Surgeries
Surgeries for HLHS Heart Defects
Children born with single ventricle heart defects are all unique and need surgeries to live. The surgeries are done in stages over the first several years of life. Each stage of surgery plays an important role in the overall reconstruction of the heart. Unfortunately, the surgeries cannot fix the heart and make it normal again. The goal for the surgeries is to balance the blood flow so that your child can grow and develop. However, even with the best medicines and surgeries, heart failure and other problems can develop and cause death.
There are two surgical pathways for HLHS:
HLHS Pathway #1
- Stage I: Hybrid
- Stage II: Comprehensive Stage II
- Stage III: Fontan
HLHS Pathway #2
- Stage I: Norwood
- Stage II: Glenn
- Stage III: Fontan
Other Single Ventricle Palliative Surgeries
Heart defects other than HLHS may need a different surgical path depending on how the aorta and pulmonary artery formed. The Stage I surgery can vary on timing and approach and is very specific to each individual baby. In rare cases, a first surgery may not even be needed. Your doctor will decide on the best approach for your baby. The Stage II Glenn surgery and Stage III Fontan surgery are more similar across the different types of heart defects.
Other Single Ventricle Surgeries
- Stage I: Blalock-Teussig Shunt (BTT) | Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) Stent | Pulmonary Artery (PA) Band | No Surgery Needed
- Stage II: Glenn
- Stage III: Fontan