Somatic Growth after Fontan and Mustard Palliation

Abstract

Children with single ventricles and those with palliated d-loop transposition of the great arteries suffer somatic growth delay prior to definitive surgery, despite being of normal size at birth. Catch-up growth in weight occurs after the Fontan and Mustard operations. In the Mustard population, height also normalizes, whereas in patients with univentricular circulation, height remains abnormally low.

Bone Density in Children with Single Ventricle Physiology

“…Because patients post Fontan surgery are shorter and BMD is height-dependent,[8] we adjusted our data to height and the results were very similar. To our knowledge, this is the first report that highlights this important finding.…”

“…[2-4] With increasing number of patients surviving the Fontan operation well into adulthood anthropometric patterns have been well described in such patients. [5-8] However, no study has looked at the bone mineral density (BMD) in such a population although these patients are, theoretically, at a greater risk of having low BMD because of the chronicity of their condition. [9-10]…”

Somatic growth in 94 single ventricle children – comparing systemic right and left ventricle patients

“…Children with a single ventricle are known to have poor growth in the first years of life , this is particularly true for children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome . This becomes clinically important as low weight‐for‐age z‐score after the palliative operations in this patient group can result in longer hospital stay , and higher risk of postoperative infections .…”

American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition, October 7?10, Atlanta, Georgia

“…The authors concluded that children with single ventricles and those with palliated d‐transposition of the great arteries suffered somatic growth delay before their definitive surgery, despite being of normal size at birth. Both groups of patients normalized their weight by 5–7 years and height by 8–10 years postoperatively 8 …”