An unexpected Avatar of Potts surgery !

Many decades ago Potts  shunt  (Central Aortic -PA shunt)was used to increase pulmonary blood flow for severe RVOT obstruction mostly for TOF  and tricuspid atresia .With the advent of  ICR and  Fontan role for central aorti shunts waned. Now, read this Chronic ,refractory pulmonary hypertension of any cause has dismal  outcome.In  patients with severe PAH  many patients  reach supra-systemic pressures . RV   a volume handling chamber faces a uphill task of overcoming huge RV after load. As cardiac physicians , we  struggle  to  perfuse the lungs in such situations. The only option  seems to be  lung transplantation ! How to perfuse the lungs if the RV is failing ? Is there any other alternative ? Why not,use LV contractility  to perfuse lungs . Great Idea isn’t ? After all , how can we allow left ventricle known for it’s  robust bumping function  sit idle and relax  when it’s counterpart is struggling with heavy load ? How to use LV for increasing pulmonary blood flow ? Create a central Aortic -Pulmonary shunt. That’s resurgence of Potts shunt. Dr Julie Blanc from France suggested this approach in in NEJM as a letter  (Potts Shunt in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension N Engl J Med 2004; 350:623) .  It  was a great Idea. Since then lots of patients  have a benefited from this vintage surgery. Final message A surgery blamed for early onset of pulmonary vascular damage due to potential Eisenmenger reaction is back .Indication ...
Source: Dr.S.Venkatesan MD - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: cardiac surgery cardiology -Therapeutics cardiology congenital heart disese cardiology innovation Cardiology Innovations pulmonary hypertension a new avatar for potts shunt percutaneous potts surgery for severe pah Potts shunt for eisenmen Source Type: blogs