Persistent shunts after Fontan surgery
Persistent shunts after a Fontan type of surgery can be due to various reasons like:
- Dehiscence of patches used for repair
- Dehiscence of suture lines
- Formation of new venous collaterals
- Distal aortopulmonary collaterals
- Development of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulae
- Shunts may also be produced therapeutically by interventional fenestration
- Fenestration left during the repair itself, to relieve undue venous congestion, though at the expense of systemic desaturation.