Anastomosis of the ascending aorta to the main pulmonary aorta

The difficulties encountered in the performance of the Blalock-Taussig 1 and Potts 2 anastomoses in certain children led to the development 3 and popularization in the United States 4,5 of intrapericardial anastomosis between the ascending aorta and the right pulmonary artery. Although this shunt is applicable to almost all patients, an occasional patient has an anatomic arrangement that does not allow this anastomosis. In such an instance it may be possible to create a shunt between the ascending aorta and the main pulmonary artery.