BT Shunt Surgery
Blalock-Taussig shunts, or BT shunts, are used for defects that affect the flow of blood from the right ventricle, through the pulmonary artery, and to the lungs. These include pulmonary atresia, pulmonary stenosis, and tricuspid atresia.
A shunt is a tiny tube made of the synthetic substance Gore-Tex. The BT shunt has a diameter of about 3 to 3.5 mm. It connects a portion of the aorta to the pulmonary artery and thus creates a kind of detour. It allows enough blood to flow into the lungs, and more oxygen to be obtained. The shunt relieves any cyanosis or blueness the child may have felt. This is a procedure with the heart closed.