Unrecognized Pulmonary Venous Desaturation Early After Norwood Palliation Confounds Qp:Qs Assessment and Compromises Oxygen Delivery

Abstract

SaO2 correlated poorly with Qp:Qs because of variability in SsvcO2 and SpvO2. A novel observation was that pulmonary venous desaturation occurred frequently early after Norwood palliation but normalized with higher FiO2 or PEEP. Because unrecognized pulmonary venous desaturation confounds p:s assessment and compromises SaO2 and oxygen delivery, judicious use of inspired oxygen and PEEP may be beneficial in selected patients early after Norwood palliation.