Own experience of routine extracardiac conduit fenestration in surgeries with total cavopulmonary connection, determination of criteria and timing of fenestration closure

Introduction. Extracardiac conduit fenestration, the connection between systemic and pulmonary venous returns, is created to reduce the risk of postoperative complications in patients after total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) procedure. Materials and Methods. From July 2009 to December 2015, 63 consecutive patients underwent extracardiac conduit TCPC with a fenestration of 4 mm. Six months after TCPC procedure, all patients underwent routine cardiac catheterization to solve the question of fenestration closure. Results. Before fenestration closure, systemic oxygen saturation was 84.9% (median: 85; range: 83-88), mean extracardiac TCPC circuit pressure was 9.27 mm Hg (median: 10; range: 7-11), transpulmonary pressure gradient (TPG) was 4.92 mm Hg (median: 5; range: 4-6). After fenestration closure in all patients, there was an increase of mean extracardiac TCPC circuit pressure less than 3 mm Hg from baseline 11.65 mm Hg (median: 13; range: 9-15). Systemic oxygen saturation was 94.6% (median: 95; range: 94-96), р