Norwood procedure

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome is a birth defect that affects normal blood flow to the heart. When the baby is developing in the womb there are rare cases that leave the left side of the heart underdeveloped. This is considered a congenital disorder that is present from birth. The Norwood Surgical Procedure is a 3-stage heart surgery performed to create a new functional system circuit in the patient with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

Stage #1 involves atrial septectomy, transection, and litigation of the distal main pulmonary artery. The proximal pulmonary artery is connected to the Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome arch while the coarcted segment of the aorta is repaired. An aorta-pulmonary shunt is inserted to connect the aorta to the main pulmonary artery to provide the coarcted segment of the aorta with pulmonary blood flow.

Stage #2 is the actual Norwood Procedure where the systematic and pulmonary circulation are restored once the vascular risk has fallen. This is done by removing the aorto-pulmonary shunt, followed by the creation of bidirectional SVC-pulmonary shunt also known as the Glenn Procedure.

Stage #3 of the Norwood Procedure is the creation of the modified Fontan Procedure. The first successful Norwood Procedure was done by doctor William Imon Norwood Jr. in 1981.

HLHS Disease is the abbreviation for the aforementioned Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome as stated above. The Norwood Operation is the second of three stages to treat the Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome condition stated and explained above.