Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome HD ... The left side of the heart is very poorly formed and cannot support the main circulation (round the body). The left ventricle ...Stayinformedwiththelatestupdatesoncoronavirus(COVID-19).Findoutmore>>TheRoyalChildren'sHospitalMelbourneHomeAboutNewsCareersShopContactMyRCHPortalAgreatchildren'shospital,leadingthewayHealthProfessionalsPatientsandFamiliesDepartmentsandServicesResearch HealthProfessionals DepartmentsandServices PatientsandFamilies ResearchHomeAboutNewsCareersSupportusContactSearchCardiologyTogglesectionnavigationInthissectionCardiologyProtocols(intranetonly)ParentinformationForhealthprofessionalsHeartdefectsContactusRCH  >  DivisionofSurgery  >  Cardiology  >  HypoplasticLeftHeartSyndromeHDInthissectionCardiologyProtocols(intranetonly)ParentinformationForhealthprofessionalsHeartdefectsContactusHypoplasticLeftHeartSyndromeHDHypoplasticLeftHeartSyndromeHDFactsheet onHypoplasticLeftHeartSyndromeBookletforparentsofRCHpatientsTheleftsideoftheheartisverypoorlyformedandcannotsupportthemaincirculation(roundthebody).Theleftventricleandaortaareabnormallysmall(hypoplastic).Thisisamongstthemostsevereformsofheartdefect.Mostbabiesareveryillintheearlydaysoflifeandneedurgentsurgerytosurvive.Thefirststageofsurgeryiscalleda 'Norwood'operation.GotoNormalHeartNorwoodOperationTheNorwoodoperationinvolvesconnectingtheoriginofthepulmonaryarterytotheaorta,toallowtherightventricletopumpbloodtothemaincirculationanda'Shunt'operation,involvinginsertionofatinypieceofartificialtube(madefromGoretex)betweentherightarmarteryandtherightpulmonaryartery,tomaintainbloodflowtothelungs.LaterinchildhooditmaybepossibletocarryoutamodifiedFontanoperation.Anotheroptionthatissometimesused,involvesaGoretextube(calleda"Conduit")fromtheRVtothepulmonaryarteryinsteadofthe"Shunt".                    GotoNormalHeartAsecondoperationfollowsafteraboutthreemonthsandiscalleda"Cavo-PulmonaryShunt".Atalaterstage(aroundthreetofouryearsold)aFontanOperationmaybeperformed.FontanOp