Specific treatment for tricuspid atresia will be determined by your child's physician based on:

• Your child's age, overall health and medical history
• Extent of the disease
• Your child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the disease
• Your opinion or preference

After birth, your child will most likely be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). Initially, your child may be placed on oxygen or a ventilator to assist their breathing. Intravenous (IV) medications may be given to help the heart and lungs function more efficiently.

Heart Surgery

Ultimately, a series of interventions are necessary to improve blood flow to the lungs and are performed in stages. The first surgery usually happens shortly after birth. The surgeries typically include:

Cardiac Catheterization

This may be used to help diagnose or treat your child. A catheterization is a procedure in which long, flexible tubes (catheters) are inserted into veins and/or arteries of the legs, arms or neck. They are guided into the heart or surrounding blood vessels using X-ray imaging. The catheters can be adapted to help perform a variety of tests or treatments. 

Blalock-Taussig Shunt

The first operation creates a pathway for blood to reach the lungs. The child will still have some degree of cyanosis. This is because oxygen-poor (blue) blood from the right atrium and oxygen-rich (red) blood from the left side of the heart mix and flow through the aorta to the body.

Glenn Procedure

A second operation, the Glenn procedure, is often performed at about 4-6 months of age. It replaces the Blalock-Taussig shunt with another connection to the pulmonary artery to ensure a stable source of pulmonary blood flow from the upper half of the body through the superior vena cava.

Fontan Procedure

The Fontan procedure is often performed at around 3-4 years of age. It connects the remaining oxygen-poor (blue) blood from the lower half of the body through the inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery. This improves the oxygenation of the blood. The Glenn connection is left in place. This improves the oxygenation of the blood.

Fontan Survivorship Program: Although life expectancy and outcomes after the Fontan procedure have improved, some patients may develop health problems later in life. Our Fontan Survivorship Program is staffed by a team of experts trained to provide the best possible care for children and adults who have had the Fontan procedure.

Outstanding outcomes: If your child needs surgery, you’ll have access to world-class heart surgeons. The Herma Heart Institute has some of the best results for even the most complex types of heart disease.

Care close to home: The Herma Heart Institute has 10 clinic locations. These clinics can be found in Wisconsin and upper Michigan.

Lifelong support: We provide care to our patients in all ages and stages of life — from before birth through adulthood. Your fetal heart doctor can care for your child through their childhood. As they age, they can transition into our Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program.

Commitment to innovation: Our team is leading the way in congenital heart disease research. We are working to discover breakthrough treatments and procedures to improve outcomes.

Support beyond the clinic: We know that our heart families need support that extends beyond the clinic. That’s why we invest in programs that help children thrive and get them back to being kids sooner:

• Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up Program
• Educational Achievement Partnership Program