Is There an Ideal Age or Weight for the Warden Procedure in Patients With Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return?

The Warden procedure is a common surgical method for repairing partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR), but it may be complicated by cavoatrial anastomosis obstruction.  A retrospective analysis of 136 patients at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital revealed no deaths, with a median follow-up of 6.5 years. This study found that patients younger than 4.4 years or weighing less than 17.1 kg had a higher risk of requiring reintervention, suggesting that delaying the procedure until these thresholds are met may reduce the risk of complications unless clinically necessary.