Virtual reality modeling for multidisciplinary surgical planning for complex single ventricular physiology

The selection of biventricular repair or Fontan completion for single-ventricle patients remains difficult to determine in borderline patients. We report how the use of a 3-dimensional virtual reality model informed an accurate estimation of a 34-month-old child’s ventricular chamber size to confirm Fontan completion. Developed from CT scan imaging, the model simulated a virtual biventricular repair and demonstrated inadequate outflow tracts after patching and baffle rerouting. This case demonstrates the implications of virtual reality for congenital heart disease surgical planning, providing a shared, intuitive platform for multidisciplinary discussion and consensus-building among surgeons, cardiologists, imagers, and anesthesiologists.