Bidirectional Glenn and antegrade pulmonary blood flow: temporary or definitive palliation?

Background We sought to investigate the role of the bidirectional Glenn with antegrade pulmonary blood flow in the surgical history of children with univentricular hearts. Methods A series of 246 patients, from three joint institutions, having univentricular heart with restricted but not critical pulmonary blood flow received a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt with additional forward pulmonary blood flow. All patients have been studied according to their progression, or not, to Fontan operation. Two hundred and eight (84.5%) patients underwent bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis as primary palliation. Twenty patients (8.1%) with previous pulmonary artery banding were also enrolled in t…