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The aim of this review is to highlight the strengths and limitations of major echocardiographic biventricular repair (BVR) prediction models for borderline left ventricle (LV) in complex congenital heart disease (CHD). A systematic search in the National Library of Medicine for Medical Subject Headings and free text terms including echocardiography, CHD, and scores, was performed. The search was refined by adding keywords for critical aortic stenosis (AS), borderline LV, complex left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction, hypoplastic left heart syndrome/complex (HLHS/HLHC), and unbalanced atrio-ventricular septal defects (uAVSD). Fifteen studies were selected for the final analysis. We outlined what echocardiographic scores for different types of complex CHD with diminutive LV are available. Scores for CHD with LVOT obstruction including critical AS, HLHS/HLHC, and aortic arch hypoplasia have been validated and implemented by several studies. Scores for uAVSD with right ventricle (RV) dominance have also been established and implemented, the first being the atrioventricular valve index (AVVI). In addition to AVII, both LV/RV inflow angle and LV inflow index have all been validated for the prediction of BVR. We conclude with a discussion of limitations in the development and validation of each of these scores, including retrospective design during score development, heterogeneity in echocardiographic parameters evaluated, variability in the definition of outcomes, differences in adopted surgical and Interventional strategies, and institutional differences. Furthermore, scores developed in the past two decades may have little clinical relevance now. In summary, we provide a review of echocardiographic scores for BVR in complex CHD with a diminutive LV that may serve as a guide for use in modern clinical practice., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Decision-making for biventricular repair (BVR) or univentricular palliation is challenging in neonates with hypoplastic left heart complex (HLHC). Hybrid strategy can be used successfully to achieve BVR in some of these patients. Between June 1998 and January 2022, 342 patients with a diagnosis of HLHS/variants, ductal-dependent lower body circulation with two ventricles, or HLHC with borderline left ventricle (LV) underwent initial bilateral pulmonary artery banding and ductal stenting in our institution. Among these 342 patients, 224 patients were defined as HLHS/variants and underwent univentricular palliation. 118 patients were determined to have borderline LV and hypoplastic left ventricular structures (HLHC, n = 48) or ductal-dependent lower body circulation with two ventricles (n = 70) considered suitable for BVR. 48 patients had multilevel obstructions including both aortic and mitral valve hypoplasia, aortic arch hypoplasia, and borderline LV. These were considered to have HLHC. These 48 HLHC patients are the subject of this report. Neonatal hybrid palliation at a median age of seven days was performed in 48 patients and 46 patients underwent BVR at a median age of 156 days. In 46 patients who underwent BVR, hospital mortality was not observed. The median follow-up was 66 months, with no late mortality. Heart transplant-free survival at 5, 10, and 15 years was 95.7%. 12 patients (26%) required reoperation and 9 (19.5%) required catheter reinterventions. Hybrid palliation may increase the chances for biventricular circulation in patients with borderline LV and small left-sided structures. Giessen hybrid approach as a left ventricular recruitment strategy achieves excellent early and long-term results.

Objectives: We analysed the outcomes of patients undergoing biventricular repair (BVR) after an initial hybrid Norwood approach as a salvage procedure in extremely sick infants; or as the initial palliation in patients with uncertain feasibility of single-stage BVR due to severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction; or as part of a left ventricle (LV) recruitment strategy in patients with borderline LVs., Methods: Between September 2010 and July 2018, 26 patients underwent BVR after initial hybrid palliation at a median age of 13 days. The rationale for the hybrid approach was to promote the growth of the LV in 10 patients and that of the left ventricular outflow tract and/or aortic valve in 12 patients and to be a salvage procedure in 4 patients. Significant growth of the LV was noted during the interstage period, which had a median length of 65 days (P = 0.008). Fourteen patients underwent aortic arch repair, ventricular septal defect closure and relief of subaortic stenosis; 5 patients underwent the Yasui procedure; 4 patients had the Ross-Konno procedure; 2 patients had an arterial switch operation; and 1 patient had truncus arteriosus repair., Results: Twenty-two patients (84.6%) are alive at a median follow-up period of 1.8 (range 0.04-6.2) years. There were 2 early and 2 late deaths. Nineteen catheter-based reinterventions and 15 reoperations were performed after BVR., Conclusions: The hybrid Norwood procedure permits stabilization of critical infants. It allows for growth of left ventricular structures in some patients with borderline left hearts and in those with severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. More patients may eventually have BVR than was thought during the newborn period., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Background: The term "borderline left ventricle" describes a small left heart that may be inadequate to provide systemic cardiac output and implies the potential need for a single-ventricle palliation. The aim of this study was to identify foetal echocardiographic features that help discriminate which infants will undergo single-ventricle palliation versus biventricular repair to aid in prenatal counselling., Methods: The foetal database at our institution was searched to identify all foetuses with borderline left ventricle, as determined subjectively by a foetal cardiologist, from 2000 to 2011. The foetal images were retrospectively analysed for morphologic and physiologic features to determine which best predicted the postnatal surgical choice., Results: Of 39 foetuses identified with borderline left ventricle, 15 were planned for a univentricular approach, and 24 were planned for a biventricular approach. There were significant differences between the two outcome groups in the Z-scores of the mitral valve annulus, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, aortic valve annulus, and ascending aorta diameter (p<0.05). With respect to discriminating univentricular outcomes, cut-offs of mitral valve Z-score ⩽-1.9 and tricuspid:mitral valve ratio ⩾1.5 were extremely sensitive (100%), whereas a right:left ventricular end-diastolic dimension ratio ⩾2.1 provided the highest specificity (95.8%)., Conclusion: In foetuses with borderline left ventricle, a mitral valve Z-score ⩾-1.9 or a tricuspid:mitral valve ratio ⩽1.5 suggests a high probability of biventricular repair, whereas a right:left ventricular end-diastolic dimension ratio ⩾2.1 confers a likelihood of single-ventricle palliation.