Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Sep 2009
Noninvasive quantification of systemic-to-pulmonary collateral flow: a major source of inefficiency in patients with superior cavopulmonary connections.
Systemic-to-pulmonary collateral flow (SPCF) is common in single-ventricle patients with superior cavopulmonary connections (SCPC). Because no validated method to quantify that SPCF exists, neither its hemodynamic burden nor its clinical impact can be systematically evaluated. We hypothesize that (1) the difference in total ascending aortic (Ao) and caval flow (superior vena cava [SVC]+inferior vena cava [IVC]) and (2) the difference between pulmonary vein and pulmonary artery flow (PV-PA) provide 2 independent estimators of SPCF. ⋯ We present a noninvasive method for SPCF quantification in patients with SCPC. It should provide an important clinical tool in treating these patients. Furthermore, we show that SPCF is a significant hemodynamic burden in many patients with bidirectional Glenn shunt physiology. Future investigations will allow objective study of the impact of collateral flow on outcome.