The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 25, 431-436, Copyright © 1978 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Current results with construction and interruption of the Waterston anastomosis
S Stewart, P Harris and J Manning
The Waterston anastomosis was constructed in 21 infants and neonates
between 1973 and 1977. Sixteen neonates were 1 week old or less and 8 were
less than 24 hours old. There were 2 operative deaths, giving a hospital
survival of 90%. There were 3 late deaths. All surviving infants received
satisfactory palliation except 1 who required a Potts anastomosis one year
later. During the same time interval, 9 other patients who had had a
Waterston anastomosis underwent complete intracardiac repair. Seven of them
had significant angulation of the right pulmonary artery necessitating
patch reconstruction. All patients survived operation, and follow-up
pulmonary angiograms demonstrated only a slight persistent narrowing of the
right pulmonary artery in 2 patients. We conclude that the Waterston
anastomosis can be constructed with a low operative mortality even in the
severely cyanotic neonate and that it can be taken down at the time of
complete repair with minimal morbidity and no mortality even if it has
significantly angulated the right pulmonary artery.
