Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Just 30 years ago, the newborn with hypoplastic left heart syndrome faced certain death. This congenital defect involves a rudimentary mitral valve and left ventricle, coupled with a hypoplastic aortic valve and ascending aorta.1 Multistage surgical remediation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, introduced in the 1980s, has led to survival rates that exceed 60%, and in this issue of the Journal, Ohye et al. report a further survival benefit with the use of a newly developed shunt.2 The fetus with hypoplastic left heart is able to survive until birth because of the unique fetal circulatory pattern. In the fetus with . . .