The bidirectional cavopulmonary (Glenn) shunt without cardiopulmonary bypass: a safe and advisable technique

The bidirectional cavopulmonary (Glenn) shunt is almost a routine first ste p procedure for total cavopulmonary connection in children with single-vent ricle cardiac anomalies. It is usually performed with cardiopulmonary bypas s, of which adverse effects can be especially deleterious in these cardiac conditions. To avoid these adverse effects, we performed the cavopulmonary shunt in 5 children through sternotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass. Ther e was no mortality nor morbidity. We think that this technique is safe, rep roducible, and even advisable in children with single-ventricle anomalies.