Background: As young age at modified Fontan operation was thought to be a preoperative risk factor for poorer survival, we studied early and intermediate outcome in our young patient group.
Methods: Results in children less than 3 years of age (group I; n = 26; age range, 7 to 35 months) were compared with those in older patients (group II; n = 46; age range, 36 to 219 months). For both groups there was no significant difference with regard to preoperative pathology and hemodynamics.
Results: With an overall mortality of 9.7% (7/72) there was no significant difference for both groups. Group I (n = 23) and group II (n = 42) survivors did not differ with respect to early postoperative incidence of atrial dysrhythmias, duration and volume of pleural effusion, or incidence of reoperation. Results on intermediate follow-up (group I, 31 +/- 14 months; group II, 44 +/- 20 months) demonstrated a relatively low incidence of late atrial dysrhythmias (12.3%; 8/65). Late atrioventricular valve insufficiency was significantly more frequent in group I patients.
Conclusions: With similar preoperative anatomic and hemodynamic parameters including 68% of patients with complex univentricular heart, total cavopulmonary anastomosis could be performed in patients less than 3 years of age with good clinical and hemodynamic results, as achieved in older patients.