Hello.
Our Cv surgeons use that technique to perform the first stage palliation of the HLHS.
The post op of these infants it's much more stable at the haemodinamic and respiratory levels.
With the Blalock-Taussig shunt the main problem was related with the difficulty of maintaining a proper balance of pulmonary and systemic blood flow.
The VD-AP shunt avoids the diastolic "run-off" that occurs with a BT shunt and consequently provides a superior perfusion to the coronary vascular bed.
The postoperative management it's basically the same: delayed sternal closure (between 24 / 48 hrs), inotropic support (dopamine and epinephrine infusions), mechanical ventilation - maintaining oxygen saturations above 70% and moderate hyperventilation and diuretics (diuretic cocktail with Albumin, Aminophyline, Furosemide each 6h) to maintain a negative fluid balance.
We are having less deaths with this "new" technique.
I have some slides with images of the VD-AP shunt if you are interested mail me.
Bye
Bruno.
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