Current status of the hybrid approach for the treatment of hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

The hybrid approach for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), consisting of bilateral pulmonary artery banding and ductal stenting, has emerged as an alternative to the traditional Norwood approach. This approach defers open heart surgery to beyond the neonatal period, which is believed to reduce postoperative mortality and morbidity and improve neurological development as compared with the conventional approach. However, there have been no scientific studies supporting these hypotheses. Recently, there seems to be a tendency that many centers recommend the hybrid approach as an interim procedure to rescue preoperative high-risk patients. Currently, the decision to adopt the hybrid approach or the Norwood approach seemed to be based on the preference of congenital heart surgeons and cardiologists. Further investigation including a randomized multi-center study would allow a scientific decision as to which approach is more appropriate for the patient with HLHS.