Surgical considerations in the management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a congenital heart defect characterized by hypoplasia of left heart structures. Over the past 3 decades, there have been advances in techniques and management in the care of these patients. We discuss shunt selection, operative strategies, transplantation, and outline various facets of management at the University of Florida. This is a review of the literature highlighting some of the technical aspects of the preoperative, operative, and postoperative care that are important in today's management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome.