Factors influencing arterial oxygenation early after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt without additional sources of pulmonary blood flow

Objectives: Although the arterial oxygen saturation after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunting should theoretically be homogeneous if additional pulmonary flow is obliterated, the arterial oxygen saturation has been found to vary in clinical practice. Knowledge of the preoperative and operative determinants of arterial oxygen saturation early after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunting may lead to a better understanding of this unique physiology. Methods: Thirty-five patients who underwent bidirectional cavopulmonary shunting with obliteration of additional pulmonary flow were included in this study. The arterial oxygen saturation was determined at the 5 time points over a 48-hour period. Multivariable regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of the arterial oxygen saturation. Results: No significant interval changes occurred in the arterial oxygen saturation during the 48 hours after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunting, which ranged from 61.6% to 95.6%. There was a significant inverse correlation between the postoperative superior vena cava pressure and the arterial oxygen saturation (P = .003). A low arterial oxygen saturation early after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunting was a predictor of mortality or exclusion from univentricular repair within 24 months (P = .012, odds ratio = 1.14). Of 11 factors identified by univariable analysis, multiple regression analysis indicated that age less than 8 months at the time of shunting (P < .0001) and ventricular volume overload (P = .002) predicted a lower arterial oxygen saturation after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunting. Conclusions: Even without additional sources of pulmonary blood flow, several preoperative factors, including younger age and severe ventricular volume overload, predicted a decrease in the arterial oxygen saturation early after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunting. This, in turn, predicted poor outcome during 2 years of follow-up.