There are a number of different congenital heart defects, or heart defects present at birth, that result in cyanosis – a bluish tint to the skin due to a lack of oxygen-rich blood in the body. These are called cyanotic heart defects. Cyanotic heart defects put additional strain on the heart because it must work harder to get enough oxygen to the body.

The Rastelli procedure is an open-heart surgery to correct certain heart defects in which the normal flow of blood from the heart to the lungs is restricted. In these cases, the blood cannot get fresh oxygen from the lungs to supply the organs and tissues of the body with oxygen. When a cyanotic heart defect is diagnosed, the Rastelli procedure usually needs to be performed as soon as possible. This is to prevent enlarged heart, heart failure or even death in the patient. It is usually completed on children between one and two years of age.  

During the Rastelli procedure, the surgeon closes a hole that may be present in the wall (septum) between the left and right lower chambers of the heart (a ventricular septal defect). The surgeon then creates a viable channel (valved conduit) through which blood can flow more freely from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery, which carries the blood to the lungs. This establishes a more healthy blood flow from the heart to the lungs and improves the level of oxygen in the patient’s blood. As a result, the patient’s body no longer has a bluish tint to the skin.

While there is a chance of complications (as with any open-heart surgery), many children born with heart defects do very well following surgical corrections.