Norwood procedure

Norwood procedure is a complex surgery performed to correct congenital heart defects in newborns, specifically hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). This procedure is typically the first of three surgeries in a series to fully correct the defect.

Overview

The Norwood procedure is named after Dr. William Norwood, who developed the surgery in the late 20th century. It is typically performed within the first week of a newborn's life. The main goal of the Norwood procedure is to redirect the blood flow and allow the right side of the heart to pump blood to both the lungs and the rest of the body.

Procedure

During the Norwood procedure, the surgeon makes a large incision in the chest to access the heart. The main steps of the procedure include:

• The pulmonary artery is divided into two.
• The right pulmonary artery is connected to the pulmonary circulation using a shunt.
• The main pulmonary artery and the aorta are combined into one large vessel that provides blood to the body.
• The atrial septal defect is enlarged to allow blood to flow from the left atrium to the right.

Risks and Complications

Like all surgeries, the Norwood procedure carries risks. These can include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Heart rhythm problems
• Stroke
• Kidney failure
• Death

After the Procedure

After the Norwood procedure, the baby will need to stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) for several weeks. They will need to have two more surgeries, the Glenn procedure and the Fontan procedure, to fully correct the heart defect.

See Also

• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
• Congenital heart defect
• Glenn procedure
• Fontan procedure

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  Hypoplastic left heart syndrome diagram
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  Norwood surgical correction illustration