Covid 19 and difficulty with recruitment

The second stage operation towards single ventricle palliation is 'bidirectional cavopulmonary connection' (BCPC). The superior vena cava is connected to the pulmonary artery, diverting 'blue' blood from the upper body (including the brain) to the lungs. A successful BCPC requires sufficient and easy blood flow through the lungs. Alprostadil is the synthetic form of prostaglandin (hormone that causes dilation of blood vessels) and has been shown to increase blood flow in the brain hence increasing blood flow to the lungs after BCPC, potentially useful in managing children post BCPC with low flow to the lungs and thus poor oxygenation. This study propose to investigate acute effects of Alprostadil on different blood vessels after BCPC.

Inclusion Criteria:• BCPC patients at time of routine pre-Fontan assessment: Cardiac catheterization and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)

• Patients between the ages of 1 and 6 years old.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who are hypersensitive to this product or to any ingredient in its formulation.
• Patients with seizure disorders or coagulopathies.
• Patients with abnormal kidney function.