Scientists probe hidden gut troubles in adult fontan survivors

This study aimed to understand how the Fontan heart surgery, which creates long-term high pressure in the veins, might affect the gut, cause body-wide inflammation, and lead to poor nutrition in adults. Researchers compared 52 adult Fontan patients without a known gut complication (protein-losing enteropathy) to healthy adults or those with simpler heart defects. They measured blood markers for gut damage and inflammation, assessed nutrition, and performed heart and liver scans to look for connections between these factors.