Neonatal congenital heart disease and "complex" heart failure.

Abstract

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a complex conglomerate of congenital cardiac abnormalities encountered in early life. Heart failure compensation and survival are intricately dependent on maintenance of ductal patency and avoidance of hyperoxic ventilation. While medical therapy is woefully inadequate, the staged Norwood procedure or cardiac transplantation remain the better options for treatment. Critically dependent on surgical outcomes, 5-year survival appears better with cardiac transplantation.