Abstract： Objective?To analyze the risk factors for early shunt dysfunction after systemic-pulmonary shunt in order to improve early postoperative outcomes. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of 189 patients who underwent systemic-pulmonary shunt in General Hospital of Shenyang Military District between February 2002 and December 2010. There were 87 males and 102 females with their age ranging from 3 months to 50（5.3±6.2）years，and body weight ranging from 3 to 56（17.7±11.0）kg. There were 94 patients with tetralogy of Fallot （TOF） and pulmonary artery stenosis，51 patients with pulmonary atresia （PA） and ventricular septal defect，4 patients with PA and intact ventricular septum，10 patients with functional single ventricle （SV） and pulmonary stenosis（PS），6 patients with SV and PA，6 patients with double outlet right ventricle and PS，8 patients with transposition of the great arteries（TGA） and PS，and 10 patients with TGA and PA. The surgical procedures included central aorto-pulmonary shunt （Waterston） in 105 patients, modified Blalock-Taussig shunt in 61 patients and Melbourne shunt in 23 patients. Results Early postoperative death occurred in 13 patients （6.9%）. There were 12 patients （6.3%） with intra-operative severe hypotension or arrhythmia, 10 patients （5.3%） with postoperative severe low cardiac output, and 10 patients （5.3%） with early shunt dysfunction within the first 24 h postoperatively. Univariate analysis identified low body weight （P=0.027）, shunt size with diameter＜4 mm （P=0.025） and severe intra-operative adverse event （hypotension or arrhythmia with P=0.002） were risk factors for early shunt dysfunction. In multivariate analysis, intra-operative adverse event was an independent risk factor for early shunt dysfunction（P=0.017）. Conclusion Early outcomes after systemic-pulmonary shunt can be significantly improved by preventing intra-operative severe hypotension or arrhythmia and choosing shunt size larger than 4 mm，especially for patients with young age, low body weight, and poorly-developed pulmonary artery.