For babies born with only one functional heart pump, a condition known as single ventricle physiology, the journey through childhood often involves multiple lifesaving surgeries. The Fontan procedure is usually the final major surgery.
The Fontan creates a unique circulation system: instead of two pumping chambers, one for the lungs and one for the body, there is only one. Blood returning from the body, low in oxygen (“blue blood”), flows passively to the lungs without the help of a pump. Once the lungs add oxygen, the blood (“red blood”) returns to the single working ventricle, which pumps it out to the rest of the body.
This circulation gives children the chance to grow, learn, and thrive. But as they reach adulthood, the unique system created by the Fontan procedure can bring challenges, limited exercise tolerance, liver complications, and increased risk of heart failure. Historically, there have been few options for patients facing complications after Fontan surgery.
HeartWorks and the Future of Single Ventricle Research
HeartWorks is at the forefront of single ventricle research, pioneering treatments and technologies to improve life after Fontan. Their mission is to transform what’s possible for patients born with one functional heart pump, moving beyond survival to long-term health, quality of life, and new horizons of care.
Some of the most promising areas include:
- Autologous Stem Cell Clinical Trials: HeartWorks supports cutting-edge trials using a patient’s own stem cells to strengthen the single ventricle heart muscle and improve its ability to pump blood effectively. This regenerative approach could help delay or even prevent heart failure in single ventricle patients. Visit our clinical trials page for more information.
- Advanced Therapies for Single Ventricle Hearts: From innovative medications to novel devices, researchers are exploring treatments designed specifically for the unique Fontan circulation system, reducing strain on the heart and boosting oxygen delivery throughout the body.
- Next-Generation Mechanical Heart Support: HeartWorks is funding research into mechanical heart pumps tailored to patients with single ventricle physiology, offering more options when heart function declines.
- Comprehensive Data: The Co-op at HeartWorks is a first-of-its-kind data cooperative that makes it simple for CHD families to securely share their stories and medical information to drive real change in research and care.
More Options, More Hope
The era of limited options after Fontan is changing. Through autologous stem cell clinical trials and groundbreaking single ventricle research, HeartWorks is building a future where children born with one functional heart pump can live longer, healthier lives, with more treatments, better outcomes, and greater hope than ever before.
For more information, contact hello@webuildhearts.org or schedule a virtual lab tour.
