THE NORWOOD PROCEDURE
This intricate open-heart surgery takes place
in three steps, known as staged palliation:
1) The Norwood I Procedure, usually
performed in the first 14 days of life, connects the aorta directly to the lower right chamber of the heart.
2) The Norwood II Procedure (or
Bidirectional Glenn Shunt) is performed when the baby is about 6 months old. The superior vena cava, which transports
oxygen-poor blood from the upper body, is connected to the pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery can then carry this
blood to the lungs.
3) The Norwood III Procedure (or Fenestrated Fontan) is
performed between ages 1 and 3. This procedure connects the inferior vena cava, which carries oxygen-poor blood from
the lower body, to the pulmonary artery.
Between the second and third
surgeries, Parker's treatment has been limited to a single baby aspirin a day and careful monitoring by her cardiologist.
