Constriction (banding) of Blalock-Taussig anastomosis for intractable congestive cardiac failure and pulmonary oedema.

Two young patients with complex congenital heart disease developed congestive cardiac failure and unilateral pulmonary oedema following palliative Blalock-Taussig pulmonary artery to systemic artery shunts. Following the failure of medical therapy these shunts were constricted by using braided silk ligature material, after which the heart failure and pulmonary oedema resolved.