Shunts, Pulmonary Artery
Definition : Shunts designed to provide an anastomosis (i.e., surgical connection) between the left subclavian artery (or, less frequently, the aorta) and either the left or right pulmonary artery; they are intended mainly to shunt some of the systemic circulation into the pulmonary circulation. These shunts typically consist of a synthetic (e.g., extended polytetrafluoroethylene) tube (i.e., a vascular graft) with a thin wall and appropriate size (3 to 5 mm diameter and 2 to 5 cm length are typical) and configuration to facilitate the connection between the subclavian artery and the pulmonary artery (i.e., to perform a modified Blalock-Taussig procedure). Pulmonary artery shunts are used as implants in palliative surgery for temporary improvement of circulatory conditions of infants suffering from congenital heart defects, such as tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary atresia, pulmonary valve stenosis, and other congenital defects of the cardiopulmonary circulatory system.
Entry Terms : "Blalock-Taussig Shunts" , "Pulmonary Artery Shunts"
UMDC code : 17811