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What Is the Fontan Procedure?

The Fontan procedure is a type of open-heart surgery. Children who need this surgery usually have it when they’re 18–36 months old.

Why Is the Fontan Procedure Done?

The Fontan procedure is done for children who are born with heart problems like hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), tricuspid atresia, and double outlet right ventricle.

Depending on the heart problem, children may need the Norwood procedure and Glenn procedure before the Fontan surgery. 

What Does the Fontan Procedure Do?

Normally, the right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs to get oxygen, and the left ventricle pumps the blood with oxygen to the body. But in some types of heart problems, one ventricle is too small. Then, the other ventricle not only has to pump blood to the lungs, but also to the body. And the blood that it pumps to the body is a mix oxygen-rich blood and oxygen-poor blood. The body can’t thrive if it doesn’t get enough oxygen.

After the Fontan procedure, the blood from the lower body goes directly to the lungs. The blood with high oxygen goes into the heart. This way the single ventricle:

  • only pumps blood to the body
  • only pumps blood with high oxygen to the body

There is no more mixing of oxygen-rich blood and oxygen-poor blood.