Hybrid palliation in complex congenital heart malformation with duct-dependent isolated pulmonary artery.

A 2 month-old infant with severe congestive heart failure due to unrestrictive ventricular septal defect and absence of the left pulmonary artery was submitted to a hybrid transcatheter-surgical palliation consisting in percutaneous re-canalization of the occluded arterial duct-left pulmonary artery complex and surgical banding of the right pulmonary artery. The post-operative course was uneventful and the baby was discharged in a few days under mild anti-congestive therapy. This hybrid approach was highly effective in stabilizing this critical infant in view of a later and safer surgical repair.