Also known as the “blue baby operation,” the Blalock-Taussig procedure is a surgery in which a detour (shunt) is created from the aorta to the pulmonary artery. The surgery is performed on infants and young children who are born with a congenital heart defect that reduces the amount of oxygen-rich blood circulating in the body. These infants often show signs such as a bluish tint (cyanosis) to the skin, lips, fingernails and other parts of the body.

The Blalock-Taussig procedure is performed as a temporary solution. In other words, it will improve the immediate signs and symptoms of the underlying  heart defect, but it will not correct it. Other surgeries are usually necessary in the future to repair the defect itself.

The surgery involves making an incision in the chest, but it is not an open-heart surgery and does not use the heart-lung machine. Parents can expect their infant to remain in the hospital for about three to six days after the surgery. Parents are also encouraged to discuss with a pediatric cardiologist and heart surgeon all benefits and risks associated with this procedure. In most cases, the benefits greatly outweigh the risks.