The aim of this study was to assess the impact of age at bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis on haemodynamics after total cavopulmonary connection.

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive patients who underwent total cavopulmonary connection from 2010 to 2014. All patients had previously undergone bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis. These patients were classified into two groups according to age at bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis: younger group, <6 months (n=33), and older group, >6 months (n=67).

The proportion of hypoplastic left heart syndrome was higher in the younger group (48 versus 4%). After total cavopulmonary connection, the chest tube period was longer in the younger group (10.1±6.6 versus 6.7±4.5 days; p=0.009). Catheterisation 6 months after total cavopulmonary connection revealed that pulmonary artery pressure was higher (11.5±1.9 versus 10.4±2.1 mmHg; p=0.017) and Nakata index was lower (219±79 versus 256±70 mm2/m2; p=0.024) in the younger group. In patients with a non-hypoplastic left heart syndrome, there was no difference in post-operative haemodynamics between two groups, but the total amount of chest drainage after total cavopulmonary connection was larger in the younger group (109±95 versus 55±40 ml/kg; p=0.044).

Early bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis did not affect the outcome of total cavopulmonary connection. Longer chest tube period, smaller pulmonary artery, and higher pulmonary artery pressure after total cavopulmonary connection were recognised in early bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis patients, especially in hypoplastic left heart syndrome.