Customization of the Fontan Y-Graft: Are Unequal Branches Necessary for Optimal Hepatic Flow Distribution?

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiguang Yang ◽  
Jeffrey A. Feinstein ◽  
Irene E. Vignon-Clementel ◽  
Shawn C. Shadden ◽  
Alison L. Marsden
Keyword(s):  
Heart Diseases ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Fontan Procedure ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Shunt Insertion ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
Clinical Complications ◽  
Surgical Complexity

Due to surgical complexity and clinical complications, single ventricle defects are among the most severe and challenging congenital heart diseases to treat. Patients usually undergo a three-staged surgery. The first stage consists of shunt insertion and aortic reconstruction in a Norwood procedure. In the second stage, the Bidirectional Glenn procedure, the superior vena cava (SVC) is disconnected from the heart and redirected into the pulmonary arteries (PA’s). In the third and final stage, the Fontan procedure, the inferior vena cava (IVC) is connected to the PA’s via a straight Gore-Tex tube, forming a T-shaped junction with or without offset.

Optimization of an Idealized Y-Graft for the Fontan Procedure Using CFD and a Derivative-Free Optimization Algorithm

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiguang Yang ◽  
Jeffrey A. Feinstein ◽  
V. Mohan Reddy ◽  
Alison L. Marsden
Keyword(s):  
Heart Defects ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Fontan Procedure ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Protein Losing Enteropathy ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
Derivative Free Optimization ◽  
Derivative Free

The Fontan procedure is a surgery performed to treat patients with single ventricle congenital heart defects. The Fontan is the final of three surgical stages. The first stage consists of aortic reconstruction, in a Norwood procedure or variant thereof. In the second stage, the Bidirectional Glenn procedure, the superior vena cava (SVC) is disconnected from the heart and redirected into the pulmonary arteries (PAs). In the third and final stage, the inferior vena cava (IVC) is connected to PAs via a straight Gore-Tex tube, forming a T-shaped junction. Although early survival rates following the Fontan procedure can exceed 90%, significant morbidity remains after surgery including venous hemodynamic abnormalities, diminished exercise capacity, thromboembolic complications, protein-losing enteropathy, heart transplant etc. [1].

Optimization of a Y-Graft Design for Improved Hepatic Flow Distribution in the Fontan Circulation

2012 ◽  
Vol 135 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiguang Yang ◽  
Jeffrey A. Feinstein ◽  
Shawn C. Shadden ◽  
Irene E. Vignon-Clementel ◽  
Alison L. Marsden
Keyword(s):  
Heart Diseases ◽  
Heart Defects ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Pulmonary Flow ◽  
Hemodynamic Performance ◽  
Branch Size

Single ventricle heart defects are among the most serious congenital heart diseases, and are uniformly fatal if left untreated. Typically, a three-staged surgical course, consisting of the Norwood, Glenn, and Fontan surgeries is performed, after which the superior vena cava (SVC) and inferior vena cava (IVC) are directly connected to the pulmonary arteries (PA). In an attempt to improve hemodynamic performance and hepatic flow distribution (HFD) of Fontan patients, a novel Y-shaped graft has recently been proposed to replace the traditional tube-shaped extracardiac grafts. Previous studies have demonstrated that the Y-graft is a promising design with the potential to reduce energy loss and improve HFD. However these studies also found suboptimal Y-graft performance in some patient models. The goal of this work is to determine whether performance can be improved in these models through further design optimization. Geometric and hemodynamic factors that influence the HFD have not been sufficiently investigated in previous work, particularly for the Y-graft. In this work, we couple Lagrangian particle tracking to an optimal design framework to study the effects of boundary conditions and geometry on HFD. Specifically, we investigate the potential of using a Y-graft design with unequal branch diameters to improve hepatic distribution under a highly uneven RPA/LPA flow split. As expected, the resulting optimal Y-graft geometry largely depends on the pulmonary flow split for a particular patient. The unequal branch design is demonstrated to be unnecessary under most conditions, as it is possible to achieve the same or better performance with equal-sized branches. Two patient-specific examples show that optimization-derived Y-grafts effectively improve the HFD, compared to initial nonoptimized designs using equal branch diameters. An instance of constrained optimization shows that energy efficiency slightly increases with increasing branch size for the Y-graft, but that a smaller branch size is preferred when a proximal anastomosis is needed to achieve optimal HFD.

Effect of Flow Pulsatility on 2nd Stage Fontan Hemodynamics: An In Vitro Investigation

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Haggerty ◽  
Lakshmi P. Dasi ◽  
Jessica Kanter ◽  
Ajit P. Yoganathan
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Single Ventricle ◽  
Heart Defects ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Fontan Procedure ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
In Vitro Investigation

The Fontan procedure [1] is the staged, palliative surgical approach used to treat patients suffering from single ventricle congenital heart defects. The second stage of this procedure involves the connection of the superior vena cava (SVC) to the pulmonary arteries (PAs) in either an end-to-side (known as the Bi-Directional Glenn (BDG)) or side-to-side (or Hemi-Fontan (HF)) fashion. Because of obvious disparities at the connection site, there are understandable differences in the fluid dynamics between the two geometries.

Effect of Flow Pulsatility on Modeling the Total Cavopulmonary Hemodynamics: A Numerical Investigation

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza H. Khiabani ◽  
Maria Restrepo ◽  
Elaine Tang ◽  
Diane De Zélicourt ◽  
Mark Fogel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Heart Defects ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Fontan Procedure ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Venous Flow ◽  
Surgical Interventions ◽  
The Right

Single Ventricle Heart Defects (SVHD) are present in 2 per 1000 live births in the US. SVHD are characterized by cyanotic mixing between the de-oxygenated blood from the systemic circulation return and the oxygenated blood from the pulmonary arteries. Palliative surgical repairs (Fontan procedure) are performed to bypass the right ventricle in these patients. In current practice, the surgical interventions commonly result in the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC). In this configuration the systemic venous returns (inferior vena cava, IVC, and superior vena cava, SVC) are directly routed to the right and left pulmonary arteries (RPA and LPA), bypassing the right heart. The resulting anatomy has complex and unsteady hemodynamics characterized by flow mixing and flow separation. Pulsation of the inlet venous flow during a cardiac cycle results in complex and unsteady flow patterns in the TCPC. Although various degrees of pulsatility have been observed in vivo, non-pulsatile (time-averaged) flow boundary conditions have traditionally been assumed in modeling TCPC hemodynamics, and only recently have pulsatile conditions been incorporated without completely characterizing their effect or importance. In this study, 3D numerical simulations were performed to predict TCPC hemodynamics with both pulsatile and non-pulsatile boundary conditions and to investigate the accuracy of applying non-pulsatile boundary conditions. Flow structures, energy dissipation rate and pressure drop were compared under rest and estimated exercise conditions. The results show that TCPC hemodynamics can be strongly influenced by the presence of pulsatile flow. However, there exists a minimum pulsatility threshold, identified by defining a weighted pulsatility index (wPI), above which the influence is significant.

Hemodynamics Characteristics of a Four-Way Right-Atrium Bypass Connector

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Mack ◽  
Alexandrina Untaroiu
Keyword(s):  
Superior Vena Cava ◽  
Right Atrium ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Fontan Procedure ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Right Ventricular Dysfunction ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Size Change

Currently, the surgical procedure followed by the majority of cardiac surgeons to address right ventricular dysfunction is the Fontan procedure, which connects the superior vena cava and inferior vena cava (IVC) directly to the left and right pulmonary arteries (LPA and RPA, respectively) bypassing the right atrium. The goal of this study is to develop a patient-specific four-way connector to bypass the dysfunctional right ventricle and augment the pulmonary circulation. The four-way connector was intended to channel the blood flow from the inferior and superior vena cava directly to the RPA and LPA. By creating a connector with proper hemodynamic characteristics, one can control the jet flow interactions between the inferior and superior vena cava and streamline the flow toward the RPA and LPA. The focus for this study was on creating a system that could identify the optimal configuration for the four-way connector for patients from 0 to 20 years of age. A platform was created in ANSYS that utilized the design of experiments (DOE) function to minimize power-loss and blood damage propensity in the connector based on junction geometries. It was confirmed that as the patient's age and artery size change, the optimal size and shape of the connector also changes. However, the corner radius did not decrease at the same rate as the opening diameters. However, it was found that power losses within the connector decrease, and average and maximum blood traversal time through the connector increased for increasing opening radius.

In Vitro Study of Pulmonary Vascular Resistance in Fontan Circulation With Respiration Effects

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marija Vukicevic ◽  
Timothy A. Conover ◽  
Jian Zhou ◽  
Tain-Yen Hsia ◽  
Richard S. Figliola
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Vascular Resistance ◽  
Vascular Resistance ◽  
Heart Defects ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Fontan Procedure ◽  
Fontan Operation ◽  
Venous Pressure ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Pulmonary Regurgitation ◽  
Vena Cava

The Fontan operation is the final stage of palliative surgery for children born with single ventricle heart defects. The most common configuration is called total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC), wherein the inferior vena cava and superior vena cava are anastomosed directly to the pulmonary arteries; therefore the pulmonary circulation is driven by venous pressure only. The Fontan procedure, although successful in the early postoperative period, with time can decrease in efficiency or even fail within several years after the operation. The reasons of different clinical outcomes for some of the Fontan patients are not clear enough, even though it is commonly accepted that certain factors such as low pulmonary vascular resistance and proper shape and size of the TCPC construction are crucial for the succesful long term outcomes. Accordingly, one of the major problems is the increase in pulmonary vascular resistance due to altered hemodynamics after the surgery, causing venous hypertension and respiratory-dependent pulmonary regurgitation [1]. The main pulmonary arteries may also see increased resistance due to congenital malformations, surgical scarring, or deliberate surgical banding. Thus, the consequence of the increased pulmonary vascular resistance at both proximal and distal locations with respect to the TCPC junction, and its effect on the systemic pressures and flow rates, is the main objective of this study.

Kawashima by Fenestrated Hemi-Fontan for Palliation Following Prior Stage I Norwood Operation

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny E. Zablah ◽  
Michael Ross ◽  
Neil Wilson ◽  
Brian Fonseca ◽  
Max B. Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Single Ventricle ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Fontan Procedure ◽  
Venous Blood ◽  
Young Infant ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Stage I ◽  
Azygos Continuation ◽  
Cavopulmonary Shunt

Single ventricle patients with interrupted inferior vena cava (IVC) and azygos continuation to the superior vena cava (SVC) are typically palliated with a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt (BCPS), known as the Kawashima operation in this setting. Because the volume of venous blood directed to the pulmonary arteries is substantially greater in the presence of interrupted IVC, Kawashima procedures are commonly delayed to older age compared to other single ventricle patients undergoing BCPS. We report two young infant single ventricle patients with interrupted IVC and azygos continuation to the SVC who underwent stage I Norwood procedures for initial palliation. In both cases, a fenestrated hemi-Fontan procedure achieved successful Kawashima circulations.

Virtual Design for the Fontan Procedure: From Idealized to Patient Specific Models Using CFD and Derivative-Free Optimization

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiguang Yang ◽  
Guillaume Troianowski ◽  
Alexandre Birolleau ◽  
Irene Vignon-Clementel ◽  
Jeffrey A. Feinstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Ventricle ◽  
Heart Defects ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Fontan Procedure ◽  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Virtual Design ◽  
Modeling Tools ◽  
Patient Specific Modeling

Single ventricle congenital heart defects are among the most challenging for pediatric cardiologists to treat. Children born with these defects are cyanotic, and these conditions are nearly uniformly fatal without treatment. A series of surgeries is performed to palliate single ventricle defects. The first stage consists of aortic reconstruction in a Norwood procedure. In the second stage, the Bidirectional Glenn procedure, the superior vena cava (SVC) is disconnected from the heart and redirected into the pulmonary arteries (PA’s). In the third and final stage, the Fontan procedure, the inferior vena cava (IVC) is connected to the PA’s via a straight Gore-Tex tube, forming a T-shaped junction with or without offset. Patient specific modeling tools provide a means to evaluate new designs with the goal of lowering long-term morbidity and improving patients’ quality of life.

Transesophageal Echocardiography-Guided Ventriculoatrial Shunt Insertion

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31
Author(s):  
Albert McAnsah Isaacs ◽  
Danae Krahn ◽  
Andrew M Walker ◽  
Heather Hurdle ◽  
Mark G Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Transesophageal Echocardiography ◽  
Perioperative Complications ◽  
Superior Vena ◽  
Vena Cava ◽  
Shunt Revision ◽  
Shunt Valve ◽  
Shunt Insertion ◽  
Distal Catheter ◽  
Shunt Placement ◽  
Time Required

Abstract BACKGROUND Determining an optimal location within the right atrium (RA) for placement of the distal ventriculoatrial (VA) shunt catheter offer several operative challenges that place patients at risk for perioperative complications and downstream VA shunt failure. Utilizing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance to place distal VA shunt catheters may help to circumvent these risks. OBJECTIVE To review our current practice of VA shunt insertion using TEE guidance. METHODS A retrospective review of all consecutive patients who underwent VA shunt procedures between December 19, 2016 and January 22, 2019, during which time intraoperative TEE was used for shunt placement was performed. Data on the time required for shunt placement and total procedure time, baseline echocardiography findings, and short- and long-term complications of shunt placement were assessed. RESULTS A total of 33 patients underwent VA shunt procedures, with a median follow-up time of 250 (88-412) d. The only immediate complication related to shunt placement or TEE use was transient ectopy in 1 patient. The mean time for atrial catheter insertion was 12.6 ± 4.8 min. Right-heart catheters were inserted between the RA-superior vena cava junction and 22 mm within the RA in all but 3 procedures. A total of 7/33 patients (21%) underwent shunt revision. Indications for revisions included distal clots, proximal obstruction, positive blood culture, and shunt valve revision. No other complications of VA shunt insertion were reported. CONCLUSION VA shunt insertion using TEE allows for precise distal catheter placement. Early patient experience confirms this technique has a low complication rate.

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