The Fontan procedure directs blue (de-oxygenated) blood from the lower body to the lungs. This is usually done using a graft called an extracardiac conduit.
The Fontan is commonly performed at two or three years of age. It is often the last procedure in the series for hypoplastic left heart or other forms of single ventricle.
This surgery lets the de-oxygenated blood flow to the lungs while the ventricle pumps the oxygenated blood to the body. Often a hole is made to connect the tube or graft and the heart. This hole is called a fenestration or fenestrated Fontan. If pressure were to build up in the lungs, this hole would allow for decompression and enable the heart to fill with blood. This hole can be closed later by cardiac catheterization.
Risks of the Fontan procedure
Risks of the procedure can include fluid in the chest (pleural effusion), blood clots, arrhythmias which may require a pacemaker, and edema. The child may stay several weeks in the hospital, mostly due to fluid draining from the chest cavity.