Alternative procedures for hypoplastic left heart syndrome as a bridge to transplantation

Introduction Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a lethal congenital malformation of the left ventricle, aorta, and associated valves that occurs at a rate of approximately 0.23 per 1000 live births or 1500 cases per year in the United States.1,2 Prior to 1980, HLHS was uniformly fatal, with most infants dying within one month of birth. Following the pioneering efforts of Norwood and Bailey, two treatment options are now available: staged reconstruction and cardiac transplantation.3