Why a survivorship clinic?
With improving survival rates, the Single Ventricle Survivorship Clinic helps single ventricle patients achieve the good health necessary to enjoy life and to help manage any complications that arise related to single ventricle physiology. Since the health issues that Fontan patients experience can vary and often involve multiple organ systems, the Single Ventricle Survivorship Clinic uses a team approach and involves specialists from different medical fields to provide patient-centered, collaborative evaluation and treatments.
The Care Team
The Single Ventricle Survivorship clinic involves a multi-disciplinary team approach that collaborates to improve results. The team includes specialists in cardiology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, and pulmonary. Based on the individuals needs of each patient, the team may also include a hematologist, cardiothoracic surgeon, radiologist, and a holistic care provider.
What to Expect
Patients will be invited to visit the Single Ventricle Survivorship Clinic every three to five years, starting at five years of age. This clinic visit will be in addition to regular appointments. We will work closely with each patient's cardiologist and primary care physician to provide updates on the findings and recommendations of the clinic's different specialists. Cardiologists may refer a child to the clinic earlier than the age of five, particularly if the child develops Fontan complications like protein-losing enteropathy, plastic bronchitis, liver disease, or Fontan failure.