Heart Transplantation Using Bicaval Anastomosis to Concomitantly Relieve Superior Vena Caval Obstruction in a Pediatric Patient With Heart Failure

We describe a case of complex congenital heart disease treated using balloon septostomy, pulmonary artery banding. Blalock-Taussig shunt, and cardiac resynchronization therapy; however, heart failure developed. A bicaval anastomosis was used to relieve superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction despite possible anastomotic stenosis. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient recovered rapidly. Thus, we recommend bicaval anastomosis using a longer donor SVC concomitantly performed during heart transplantation to relieve both heart failure and SVC obstruction in pediatric patients. ? 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.