How Is It Treated? - Part 1
The treatment of single ventricle depends on the particular defect. It is necessary to separate the pulmonary (heart to lung) and systemic (heart to body) circulations so that oxygen-rich blood can be pumped to the body tissues.
EXAMPLE ONE - TRICUSPID ATRESIA
After early treatment with medications to keep the ductus open, an operation called a Blalock-Taussig shunt (yellow tube in diagram to left) is performed to increase blood flow to the lungs.