Power dissipation in the total cavopulmonary connection

The total cavopulmonary connection (TCPQ is a surgical intervention, often performed in pediatric patients whose pulmonary circulation is insufficient, due, e.g., to a failing right ventricle or other congenital diseases. In a TCPC, the venae cavae are directly connected to the pulmonary arteries, thus shunting the right atrium and ventricle. The minimization of the power dissipated across this connection is essential, due to the low pressure in the venous return which, in the patients with a TCPC, is the only source of mechanical work at disposal for the pulmonary flow. Power loss measurements are reported, relative to an in vitro model (an anatomically accurate glassblown phantom, realized according to NMR images of a pediatric patient previously operated at the Bambino Gesu Hospital in Roma). The results show that this particular implementation of the TCPC offers a good hemodynamics, with favorable comparisons with other designs.