The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 20, 571-580, Copyright © 1975 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
The effect of natural and surgically constructed aortopulmonary shunts on hemodynamic function in tetralogy of Fallot
AT Look Jr and TR Bates Jr
A hemodynamic model has been developed for the patient with tetralogy of
Fallot. Equations representing the circulatory flow pattern and oxygen
balance in this disease were incorporated into a computer program. With the
computer model it is possible to simulate the effect of natural and
surgically constructed aortopulmonary shunt flow on hemodynamic function in
tetralogy of Fallot. Graphic representations of the computer output are
presented which show how aortopulmonary shunt flow influences the
physiology of exercise and hypoxic episodes. An explanation is advanced for
the lack of correlation between resting arterial oxygen saturation and the
incidence of hypoxic episodes. The model demonstrates the effect of
surgical aortopulmonary shunts in eliminating hypoxic spells.