Infants with severely reduced pulmonary perfusion due to complex congenital cardiac malformations are in need of an improved flow of blood to the lungs. One option for treatment is to construct a systemic-to-pulmonary arterial shunt. Although such shunts have been used since 1945, their spontaneous occlusion remains a major problem in the long-term.

We studied all infants in whom a systemic-to-pulmonary arterial shunt had been constructed using a Gore-Tex tube graft between December 1989 and March 1996.

Of 46 infants undergoing construction of a shunt, 7 (15°) died within 30 days of surgery. The shunts had to be taken down in 2 infants. Thus, 37 infants were included in the study. All but three infants received Aspirin. Aspirin was discontinued on the personal decision of individual physicians. Of 22 infants, 3 never received Aspirin, and in 19 it was stopped well before undertaking subsequent surgery. Aspirin was administered continuously to 15 infants until further surgery.

Those in whom Aspirin was discontinued, or not given, and those receiving Aspirin until further surgery, were comparable concerning their age, time of follow-up, severity of the cardiac lesions, and size and type of shunt. Partial or complete occlusion of the shunt occurred in 2 of 15 (13°) infants taking Aspirin, but was seen in 12 of 22 (54°) infants in whom Aspirin was discontinued. Of these, 3 died due to acute occlusion of the shunt.

Aspirin reduced effectively the rate of occlusion of systemic-to-pulmonary arterial shunts, and should be continued as long as the shunt is in place.