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KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
TERMINOLOGY
Abbreviations
- Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt
Definitions
- Palliative procedure to augment pulmonary blood flow in various uni- & biventricular anatomies: Tetralogy of Fallot, tricuspid atresia, pulmonary atresia, & hypoplastic left heart syndrome (part of Norwood stage 1)
- Original/classic BT shunt
- Developed in 1945 by Dr. Alfred Blalock, Dr. Helen Taussig, & Vivien Theodore Thomas
- Ligation & division of right subclavian artery with end-to-side anastomosis of proximal right subclavian artery to right pulmonary artery
- Complications included shunt thrombosis, overshunting, nerve injury, & potential growth disturbance of ipsilateral upper extremity
- Rarely performed today
- Modified BT shunt
- Synthetic graft prosthesis (Gore-Tex) between subclavian artery & ipsilateral pulmonary artery, contralateral to side of aortic arch
- End-to-side anastomosis at each connection performed through median sternotomy or lateral thoracotomy (with former preferred)
- Preserves blood flow to ipsilateral upper extremity
- More easily placed on side contralateral to aortic arch
- Up to 90% patency rate at 2 years of age
- Original/classic BT shunt
- Palliative procedure to augment pulmonary blood flow in various uni- & biventricular anatomies: Tetralogy of Fallot, tricuspid atresia, pulmonary atresia, & hypoplastic left heart syndrome (part of Norwood stage 1)
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Echocardiographic Findings
Angiographic Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
Selected References
- Dirks V et al: Modified Blalock Taussig shunt: a not-so-simple palliative procedure. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 44(6):1096-102, 2013
- McKenzie ED et al: The Blalock-Taussig shunt revisited: a contemporary experience. J Am Coll Surg. 216(4):699-704; discussion 704-6, 2013
- Shauq A et al: Surgical approaches to the blalock shunt: does the approach matter? Heart Lung Circ. 19(8):460-4, 2010
- Gaca AM et al: Repair of congenital heart disease: a primer-part 1. Radiology. 247(3):617-31, 2008
- Williams JA et al: Two thousand Blalock-Taussig shunts: a six-decade experience. Ann Thorac Surg. 84(6):2070-5; discussion 2070-5, 2007
- van Rijn RR et al: Development of a perigraft seroma around modified Blalock-Taussig shunts: imaging evaluation. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 178(3):629-33, 2002
- Yoshimura N et al: Classic Blalock-Taussig shunt in neonates. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino). 40(1):107-10, 1999
Related Anatomy
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
TERMINOLOGY
Abbreviations
- Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt
Definitions
- Palliative procedure to augment pulmonary blood flow in various uni- & biventricular anatomies: Tetralogy of Fallot, tricuspid atresia, pulmonary atresia, & hypoplastic left heart syndrome (part of Norwood stage 1)
- Original/classic BT shunt
- Developed in 1945 by Dr. Alfred Blalock, Dr. Helen Taussig, & Vivien Theodore Thomas
- Ligation & division of right subclavian artery with end-to-side anastomosis of proximal right subclavian artery to right pulmonary artery
- Complications included shunt thrombosis, overshunting, nerve injury, & potential growth disturbance of ipsilateral upper extremity
- Rarely performed today
- Modified BT shunt
- Synthetic graft prosthesis (Gore-Tex) between subclavian artery & ipsilateral pulmonary artery, contralateral to side of aortic arch
- End-to-side anastomosis at each connection performed through median sternotomy or lateral thoracotomy (with former preferred)
- Preserves blood flow to ipsilateral upper extremity
- More easily placed on side contralateral to aortic arch
- Up to 90% patency rate at 2 years of age
- Original/classic BT shunt
- Palliative procedure to augment pulmonary blood flow in various uni- & biventricular anatomies: Tetralogy of Fallot, tricuspid atresia, pulmonary atresia, & hypoplastic left heart syndrome (part of Norwood stage 1)
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Echocardiographic Findings
Angiographic Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
Selected References
- Dirks V et al: Modified Blalock Taussig shunt: a not-so-simple palliative procedure. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 44(6):1096-102, 2013
- McKenzie ED et al: The Blalock-Taussig shunt revisited: a contemporary experience. J Am Coll Surg. 216(4):699-704; discussion 704-6, 2013
- Shauq A et al: Surgical approaches to the blalock shunt: does the approach matter? Heart Lung Circ. 19(8):460-4, 2010
- Gaca AM et al: Repair of congenital heart disease: a primer-part 1. Radiology. 247(3):617-31, 2008
- Williams JA et al: Two thousand Blalock-Taussig shunts: a six-decade experience. Ann Thorac Surg. 84(6):2070-5; discussion 2070-5, 2007
- van Rijn RR et al: Development of a perigraft seroma around modified Blalock-Taussig shunts: imaging evaluation. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 178(3):629-33, 2002
- Yoshimura N et al: Classic Blalock-Taussig shunt in neonates. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino). 40(1):107-10, 1999
