Pediatric Blalock-Taussig shunt

What is a pediatric Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure?

Our pediatric heart surgeons place a Blalock-Taussig shunt between blood vessels outside a child’s heart. The shunt helps the heart pump blood to the lungs, where it gets oxygen. The shunt connects an artery from the aorta (the largest blood vessel) to the pulmonary artery (which carries blood to the lungs). The procedure typically takes place within an infant’s first two weeks of life. A shunt can’t grow with a child’s heart, but it helps until a baby can have the additional heart surgeries they need.

What are the benefits of a pediatric Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure?

After an infant gets a Blalock-Taussig shunt, blood is able to reach the lungs for oxygen. This oxygen-rich blood then flows through the body, helping your baby grow stronger. The pulmonary arteries also get bigger, which helps with the next heart surgery.

What are the risks of a pediatric Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure?

The period after your baby gets a shunt and waits at home for the next surgery is the most critical. Blood clots can form inside the shunt, cutting off blood and oxygen (shunt thrombosis). To lower this risk, we give IV blood thinners immediately after surgery. At home, you will give your baby dissolvable aspirin until the next surgery. We work with you to make sure you’re comfortable caring for your child at home.

What to expect with a pediatric Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure

Experts at our Fetal Heart Program often diagnose heart defects that need shunts while a baby is still in the womb. A heart defect might also be detected after birth. If your child needs immediate treatment, we work with your birth hospital to quickly bring your baby to Children’s Health for treatment.

Here, your baby receives care from a dedicated team of pediatric cardiologists, heart surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses. Our care team explains the shunt procedure, ensuring that you know what to expect on the day of surgery and afterward.

What to expect before a pediatric Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure

At birth, all newborns have an opening between the aorta and the pulmonary artery (ductus arteriosus). This opening should naturally close soon after birth. We give your child IV medicine to keep the hole open. The opening allows some of your child’s blood to reach the lungs and get oxygen. It offers a temporary fix until we can insert the shunt.

What to expect during a pediatric Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure

It typically takes about three hours to place a Blalock-Taussig shunt. In rare instances, a child may need a heart-lung bypass machine during the procedure. This machine temporarily takes over the heart's pumping action.

What to expect after a pediatric Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure

Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)

Your baby recovers in our pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). We have the region’s most comprehensive pediatric CICU staffed by experienced cardiac doctors and nurses. Depending on the complexity of the heart defect and surgery, you should be able to take your baby home within two weeks.

Infants who get a Blalock-Taussig shunt still have low oxygen levels in the blood. Your child’s skin and nails may have a bluish tint, which is called cyanosis. After future surgeries to improve the circulation of oxygen-rich blood, these symptoms will go away.

Safe at Home Program

We understand that you may be nervous about caring for your baby at home after a major heart procedure. Through our Safe at Home Program, you get the education and support you need to care for your baby at home with confidence and love.

Safe at Home is a program designed to help parents care for their infants as they get stronger at home, between heart shunt surgeries. We equip you with all the technology and tools you need to measure your baby’s oxygen levels and weight. Our team monitors your baby’s health remotely every day, which allows us to detect potential problems fast. You can also call us 24/7 with questions.

What questions should I ask my provider about a pediatric Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure?

• How many Blalock-Taussig shunt procedures have you performed?

• Are there other treatment options for my child’s heart condition?

• Will my child need more heart surgeries? If so, when?

• Will my child go home with any special equipment after getting a shunt?

• How soon will I be able to see my child after the surgery?