Perioperative Outcomes in Congenital Heart Disease: A Review of Clinical Factors Associated With Prolonged Ventilation and Length of Stay in Four Common CHD Operations.

OBJECTIVES

Perioperative management strategies and outcomes for low-risk congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery vary between institutions. To date, no consensus exists on standardized management for pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery. This study seeks to benchmark the perioperative management of 4 common CHD lesions and explore clinical factors affecting postoperative outcomes.

DESIGN

A retrospective review of CHD procedures performed between 2015 and 2020.

SETTING

The study was conducted at a single academic tertiary pediatric hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

All patients presenting for repair of ventricular septal defects (VSDs), complete atrioventricular canal defects, tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), and transposition of the great arteries (TGA) were reviewed.

INTERVENTIONS

Demographic and clinical data were collected; clinical outcomes were defined as postoperative length of ventilation (LOV) and hospital length of stay, divided into reference and prolonged course groups analyzed for variables associated with differences in outcomes.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

We selected 931 patients for review. Prolonged length of ventilation and length of stay in all cohorts were associated with longer operative, cardiopulmonary bypass, and cross-clamp times; higher intraoperative requirements for inotropic support; more blood transfusions and higher opioid administration; lower pH preoperatively and higher lactic acid postoperatively. Worse outcomes were associated with younger age in VSD, older age in TGA, and lower weight in TOF and TGA. Worse outcomes were also associated with a higher preoperative hematocrit in VSD and TOF and elevated preoperative blood glucose in VSD and TGA.

CONCLUSIONS

A better understanding of clinical factors affecting outcomes may facilitate streamlining perioperative management strategies for pediatric patients undergoing low-risk cardiac surgery.