Safety of bloodless open-heart surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass in selected children: A single center experience with minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation.

INTRODUCTION: Bloodless cardiac surgery refers to open-heart surgery without blood or blood products. The cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits are primed with crystalloid solely, and there is no intraoperative blood transfusion. METHODS: Our program considers bloodless congenital cardiac surgery with a minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation (MiECC) system for patients above 10 kg of weight. We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of all consecutive patients undergoing bloodless cardiac surgery for congenital heart defects between January 2016 and December 2018. RESULTS: A total of 164 patients were reviewed (86 male and 78 female) at a median age of 9.6 years (interquartile range (IQR), 4.5-15), a weight of 32 kg (IQR, 16-55), preoperative hemoglobin 13.7 g/dl (IQR, 12.6-14.9), and preoperative hematocrit of 40.4% (IQR, 37.2-44.3). Median CPB time was 81.5 min (IQR, 58-125), and median hematocrit coming off CPB was 26% (IQR, 23-29.7). The congenital heart surgery risk (STAT) category was distributed in STAT 1 for 70, STAT 2 for 80, STAT 3 for 9, and STAT 4 for 5 patients. Most patients (95%) were extubated in the operating room with a low complication rate during the hospital stay (14.6%). Only 6 (4%) patients needed a blood transfusion during the postoperative period, with a higher incidence of complications during the hospital course (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Bloodless congenital heart surgery with MiECC system is safe in low-surgical-risk patients. Our patients had a low rate of complications and short hospital stays.

A Randomized Pilot Trial Assessing the Role of Human Fibrinogen Concentrate in Decreasing Cryoprecipitate Use and Blood Loss in Infants Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

The objective of this study was to determine whether treatment with human fibrinogen concentrate decreases the need for component blood therapy and blood loss in neonate and infant patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. Pediatric patients (N = 30) undergoing elective cardiac surgery were randomized to receive human fibrinogen concentrate or placebo following cardiopulmonary bypass termination. The primary endpoint was the amount of cryoprecipitate administered. Secondary endpoints included estimated blood loss during the 24 h post-surgery; perioperative blood product transfusion; effects of fibrinogen infusion on global hemostasis, measured by laboratory testing and rotational thromboelastometry; and adverse events. No clinically significant differences were identified in baseline characteristics between groups. A significantly lower volume of cryoprecipitate was administered to the treatment group during the perioperative period [median (interquartile range) 0.0 (0.0-0.0) cc/kg vs 12.0 (8.2-14.3) cc/kg; P < 0.0001] versus placebo. No difference was observed between treatment groups in blood loss, laboratory coagulation tests, use of other blood components, or incidence of adverse events. FIBTEM amplitude of maximum clot firmness values was significantly higher among patients treated with human fibrinogen concentrate versus placebo (P ≤ 0.0001). No significant differences were observed in post-drug HEPTEM, INTEM, and EXTEM results. Human fibrinogen concentrate (70 mg/kg) administered after the termination of cardiopulmonary bypass reduced the need for transfusion with cryoprecipitate in a neonate and infant patient population.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02822599.

Three-year experience with immediate extubation in pediatric patients after congenital cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: In pediatric cardiac anesthesiology, there is increased focus on minimizing morbidity, ensuring optimal functional status, and using health care resources sparingly. One aspect of care that has potential to affect all of the above is postoperative mechanical ventilation. Historically, postoperative ventilation was considered a must for maintaining patient stability. Ironically, it is recognized that mechanical ventilation may increase risk of adverse outcomes in the postoperative period. Hence, many institutions have advocated for immediate extubation or early extubation after many congenital heart surgeries which was first reported decades ago. METHODS: 637 consecutive patient charts were reviewed for pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients were placed into three groups. Those that were extubated in the operating room (OR) at the conclusion of surgery (Immediate Extubation or IE), those that were extubated within six hours of admission to the ICU (Early Extubation or EE) and those that were extubated sometime after six hours (Delayed Extubation or DE). Multiple variables were then recorded to see which factors correlated with successful Immediate or Early Extubation. RESULTS: Overall, 338 patients (53.1%) had IE), 273 (42.8%) had DE while only 26 patients (4.1%) had EE. The median age was 1174 days for the IE patients, 39 days for the DE patients, whereas 194 days for EE patients (p < 0.001). Weight and length were also significantly different in at least one extubation group from the other two (p < 0.001). The median ICU LOS was 3 and 4 days for IE and EE patients respectively, whereas it was 9.5 days for DE patients (p < 0.001). DE group had a significant longer median anesthesia time and cardiopulmonary bypass time than the other two extubation groups (p > 63,826.88 < 0.001). Regional low flow perfusion, deep hypothermia, deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, redo sternotomy, use of other sedatives, furosemide, epinephrine, vasopressin, open chest, cardiopulmonary support, pulmonary edema, syndrome, as well as difficult intubation were significantly associated with delayed extubation (IE, EE or DE). CONCLUSIONS: Immediate and early extubation was significantly associated with several factors, including patient age and size, duration of CPB, use of certain anesthetic drugs, and the amount of blood loss and blood replacement. IE can be successfully accomplished in a majority of pediatric patients undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease, including in a minority of infants.

Smart Graft Monitoring After the Fontan Operation.

The Fontan operation for children with congenital heart disease places them in a physiological state of mildly elevated systemic venous pressure and low-normal cardiac output. Consequently, close follow-up is imperative, yet currently no method is available to obtain Fontan pressures without direct measurements in the cardiac catheterization laboratory while supine and sedated. We hypothesize that by suturing the CardioMEMS sensor device into the Fontan conduit during the standard Fontan operation for a child with single ventricular physiology, clinicians can accurately retrieve Fontan pathway pressure measurements noninvasively during normal physiological states.

Non-invasive cardiac output monitor validation study in pediatric cardiac surgery patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To validate a non-invasive cardiac output monitor in pediatric cardiac surgery patients. DESIGN: Prospective trial. SETTING: Operating room. PATIENTS: 20 pediatric cardiac surgery patients ASA physical status 3 and 4. INTERVENTIONS: Aesculon noninvasive cardiac output monitor was used and compared to the cardiac output derived from the Fick equation. Oxygen consumption was measured and blood samples were taken from the arterial line and from the superior and inferior vena cava. MEASUREMENTS: Noninvasive cardiac output and cardiac index and Fick cardiac output and cardiac index. Oxygen consumption was measured by the TreyMed metabolic monitor. Blood samples were simultaneously drawn from the arterial line and from the superior and inferior vena cava purse string sites by the surgeon, prior to commencing cardiopulmonary bypass. Another data set was obtained right after termination of cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS: There was a direct, significant relationship between Fick CO/CI and NICOM CO/CI measurements. More dispersion is detected when the magnitude of the measure increases, i.e., for older and larger patients. CONCLUSIONS: There is a strong correlation between the cardiac output values derived from the Fick equation and the Aesculon non-invasive cardiac output monitor.

Evaluation of Residual Coarctation in Infants with a Single Right Ventricle after Stage I Palliation.

In infants with a single right ventricle (RV), stage I palliation involves aortic reconstruction, systemic-to-pulmonary shunt placement, and atrial septectomy. Many require re-intervention for residual coarctation of the aorta (CoA). Doppler echocardiography can detect residual CoA in most infants, but its ability to predict severity has not been studied. This study compares gradients from Doppler interrogation to those from cardiac catheterization in infants with residual CoA. We performed a retrospective study of infants after stage I palliation from 2000 to 2014. Infants with an echocardiogram and catheterization before the second-stage palliative surgery were included. Infants with an echocardiogram >30 days before catheterization were excluded. Doppler-derived gradients were compared to catheterization-derived gradients. Echocardiographic assessment of tricuspid valve (TV) and RV function were recorded. The cohort included 95 infants, and thirty-three (35%) had CoA. Doppler-derived and catheterization-derived gradients correlated weakly in infants with CoA (r = 0.37, p = 0.036) and without CoA (r = 0.35, p = 0.005). Among infants with CoA, 17/33 had none or trivial tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and normal RV function, and Doppler-derived gradients correlated with catheterization gradients in this group (r = 0.71, p = 0.001). In 16/33 infants with ≥moderate TR or RV dysfunction, gradients did not correlate (r = -0.003, p = 0.992). After a stage I palliation in infants with single RV and CoA, Doppler-derived gradients poorly predicted the severity of CoA. Infants with normal TV or RV function had Doppler-derived gradients more predictive of catheterization-derived gradients. Doppler-derived gradients have limited utility in determining the severity of CoA after a stage I palliation.

Risk Factors for Longer Hospital Stay Following the Fontan Operation.

OBJECTIVES: Children with functional single ventricle undergoing the Fontan operation consume considerable resources. The purpose of this study is to evaluate pre- and intraoperative risk factors for longer hospital stay and to describe the perioperative course at a single institution over a 15-year period. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A single pediatric cardiac ICU. PATIENTS: All consecutive patients undergoing a first-time Fontan operation from 2000 to 2014. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Prolonged length of stay was defined as hospital stay greater than 75 percentile at our institution after surgery. Of 218 patients who met inclusion criteria, median length of stay was 10 days (interquartile range, 8-14 d); prolonged length of stay was defined greater than or equal to 15 days. Independent pre- and intraoperative risk factors for prolonged length of stay included higher hemoglobin (odds ratio, 1.29; p = 0.003), higher mean pulmonary artery pressure (odds ratio, 1.14; p = 0.037), and lower aortic saturation (odds ratio, 0.92; p = 0.008) in the entire group. When patients with hepatic vein inclusion (following previous Kawashima) were excluded, higher hemoglobin (odds ratio, 1.24; p = 0.027), lower aortic saturation (odds ratio, 0.92; p = 0.017), and placement of a fenestration (odds ratio, 2.438; p = 0.021) were associated with prolonged length of stay. Fifty-eight patients (26.6%) had major complications defined by Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium. Placement of a fenestration (odds ratio, 2.297; p = 0.014) and longer aortic cross-clamp time (odds ratio, 1.015; p = 0.003) were independently associated with Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium major complications. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, 75% of patients had a postoperative length of stay less than or equal to 2 weeks. Preoperative factors suggesting worse hypoxemia/decreased pulmonary blood flow (higher hemoglobin and lower oxygen saturation) and increased pulmonary artery pressure were associated with prolonged length of stay. These findings may help risk stratify this complex patient population, provide more accurate family counseling, and provide preliminary data for changes in preoperative timing of the Fontan and/or changes to postoperative management strategies for those at high risk for increased ICU morbidity.

Echocardiographic and Surgical Correlation of Coronary Artery Patterns in Transposition of the Great Arteries.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the accuracy of echocardiography to diagnose coronary anatomy in transposition of the great arteries and to evaluate the effect of accuracy on surgical outcomes and changes in accuracy over time. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of neonates admitted February 1999 to March 2013 with transposition. Coronary pattern from the preoperative echocardiogram and operative reports were collected and compared with determine diagnostic accuracy. Coronary patterns were further confirmed by intraoperative images taken during surgery. SETTING: Tertiary care children's hospital. PATIENTS: Neonates with transposition of the great arteries and planned arterial switch operation with an echo and operative report or image describing the coronaries. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. OUTCOME MEASURES: Accuracy of echocardiography to diagnose coronary anatomy in transposition, and to identify factors related to correct diagnosis. RESULTS: One hundred forty-two patients met inclusion criteria with 122 correctly diagnosed, 16 incorrect, and 4 inconclusive. Accuracy was 86%, with 95% accuracy in patients with typical coronary patterns, 85% with the most common variant (left coronary from the leftward sinus and right and circumflex from the rightward sinus), and 61% with less common patterns. Typical and common variants were more likely to be correct than atypical patterns (P < .001). Cases with ventricular septal defect were more likely to have correctly diagnosed coronaries than with an intact ventricular septum (94% vs. 79%, P = .01). There was no change in accuracy over time (P > .05). There was no difference in duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, cross-clamp times, length of stay, or postoperative stay between the correct and incorrectly diagnosed groups (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: In our center, accuracy of echocardiographic imaging of the coronary arteries in transposition was 86% without improvement over time, and perioperative outcomes were not affected by diagnostic accuracy. Further invasive imaging may not be necessary to determine the coronary pattern in this lesion.

Comparison of point-of-care activated clotting time systems utilized in a single pediatric institution.

This study compares four different activated clotting time (ACT) point-of-care (POC) testing systems used at our institution for the management of patients undergoing heparin therapy. We evaluated these systems under identical conditions to determine their accuracy, reproducibility, ease of use, and cost. Two separate testing stations containing four ACT systems were used. The testing order was randomized for every sample and performed by two trained individuals. Samples of fresh heparinized whole blood were taken at regular intervals and distributed to each station. Each operator tested 50 samples, totaling 400 ACT tests. The ACT value was significantly affected by the type of machine used at both stations 1 and 2 (p < .001). Compared with all systems, the Medtronic ACT Plus Automated Coagulation Timer System (ACT Plus) resulted in the most consistent ACT values (median = 171, Interquartile Range (IQR): 169-175) and least variability (172.17 +/- 5.24). The Hemochron Signature Elite Whole Blood Microcoagulation System had the most variability (221.10 +/- 14.78) and yielded consistently higher ACT values (median = 220, IQR: 210-229.5) compared with other systems. The ACT values reported by the i-STAT Handheld and Test Cartridge Blood Analysis System (153.30 +/- 7.87) were consistently lower (median = 154, IQR: 147-161) in comparison to the ACT Plus and Medtronic HMS Plus Hemostasis Management System (180.60 +/- 7.60, median = 181, IQR: 175-186). There was no statistical difference in results between the two testing sites (p > .05) or the operators (p > .05). The significant finding of this study was the affect each system has on the ACT value. This investigation demonstrates the variability that exists among different ACT monitoring systems at our institution. The discrepant variation in ACT values that exists with the Hemochron system questions the reliability of its use in the management of patients undergoing heparin therapy.

Web-based survey of current trends in hemodynamic monitoring after congenital heart surgery.

Strategies for monitoring patients recovering after congenital heart surgery have evolved considerably as technology continues to progress. Monitoring techniques traditionally centered around the comprehensive physical examination have been replaced by a number of revolutionary technologies developed to objectively evaluate various components of the cardiovascular system. Despite scant evidence that these methodologies actually improve outcomes, some have been embraced by clinicians. We developed an Internet survey designed to describe current practices of clinicians who care for patients after congenital heart surgery. There were 162 respondents to our survey with the majority from the United States. The views of cardiologists, intensivists, those dual trained in both cardiology and critical care medicine, and surgeons are all robustly represented in the results. Serial lactate monitoring was the strategy that was utilized most often by respondents (94%), followed by multisite near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS, 67%). There were 78% who utilized the combination of serial lactate and NIRS monitoring. Serial lactate monitoring was the technique that was thought to best represent cardiovascular well-being after heart surgery (40%). The results of this survey suggest that despite the paucity of evidence that clinical outcomes of patients recovering after congenital heart surgery are improved by any of these monitoring techniques, there is almost universal acceptance to monitor patients with serial lactate monitoring, NIRS monitoring, or a combination of these techniques.

Hybrid aortic reconstruction for treatment of recurrent aortic obstruction after stage 1 single ventricle palliation: medium term outcomes and results of redilation.

OBJECTIVE: We describe a hybrid approach to the treatment of aortic obstruction after stage 1 palliation (S1P) of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. BACKGROUND: Recurrent aortic obstruction is a common problem after S1P of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Even mild aortic obstruction is poorly tolerated so early and definitive therapy is desirable. Although stent implantation is an effective treatment for aortic obstruction in older children and adults, technical issues due to small vessels and concerns regarding future potential for expansion have generally precluded the use of stents in this setting. METHODS: Six patients underwent hybrid aortic reconstruction (HAR) in the operating room or catheterization laboratory, with the interventional cardiologist and cardiac surgeon working in cooperation. RESULTS: Patients had a mean weight of 5.8 kg (2.9-7.7) and a mean age of 5.6 months (0.5-12.9) at the time of HAR. Five patients had undergone prior balloon angioplasty at a mean age of 2.8 months (2.1-3.5), and five had moderately depressed single ventricular function prior to HAR. The balloons used had a diameter of 7-10 mm and introducer sheath size ranged from 6 to 10 F. There were no immediate or late procedure related complications. Stent redilation was performed in 5 patients for relief of recurrent obstruction or to keep pace with somatic growth. At a median follow up of 4.8 years (0.2-7.9), there were 3 patients progressing well after Fontan palliation and 3 deaths. CONCLUSIONS: HAR allows for placement of stents that can ultimately reach adult size in small infants who have recurrent aortic obstruction after balloon angioplasty following S1P. Advantages include freedom from delivery sheath constraints when determining stent type/size, facilitation of precise stent position, and avoidance of vascular damage or hemodynamic compromise during the procedure. Longer follow-up and larger experience are required to determine if this therapy will provide a long-term solution to this difficult problem.

The Fontan operation: the pursuit of associated lesions and cumulative trauma.

Our programmatic approach to the Fontan operation has evolved to include using an extracardiac conduit with aggressive presumptive treatment of associated lesions either in the catheterization laboratory or the operating room. Fenestration is used selectively based on hemodynamics, anatomy, and presence of associated lesions. We reviewed our experience to determine the effectiveness and outcome of this strategy and to assess the cumulative trauma to the patients. The records of 137 consecutive patients who underwent Fontan at Miami Children's Hospital from 1995 to 2008 were reviewed. At mean follow up of 5.76 years, freedom from death or transplantation is 94.2% (129/137). Median age at operation was 4.6 years. Longer length of stay correlated with older operative age (P = 0.0056). Pacemakers were implanted in 11.7% (16/137). Additional (not pre-Glenn or pre-Fontan) interventional catheterizations were performed in 51.8% (71/137). Additional operations were done in 10.2% (14/137). No patient has required replacement or revision of the extracardiac conduit. Our current approach to the Fontan operation provides acceptable midterm results. The pursuit of residual lesions results in a significant number of additional interventional catheterizations and operative procedures but might have an important influence on long-term survival after the Fontan procedure.

New approach to interstage care for palliated high-risk patients with congenital heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: Home surveillance monitoring might identify patients at risk for interstage death after stage 1 palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. We sought to identify the effect that a high-risk program might have on interstage mortality and identification of residual/recurrent lesions after neonatal palliative operations. METHODS: Between January 2006 to January 2010, newborns after stage 1 palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome or shunt placement were invited to participate in our high-risk program. Patients enrolled in our high-risk program comprise the study group. Patients who had similar operations between January 2002 and December 2005 comprise the control group. Comparisons are made between the 2 groups with respect to interstage mortality and the frequency and timing of interstage admissions requiring medical, catheter, or surgical treatment. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients met the criteria for our high-risk program. Fifty-nine (82%) of 72 patients were enrolled. Among 19 patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome in our high-risk program, outpatient interstage mortality was zero. Outpatient interstage mortality for the 36 control subjects with hypoplastic left heart syndrome was 6%. Among 40 patients with shunts in the study group, there was 1 outpatient interstage death compared with 4 (6%) deaths in 68 subjects in the control group. Significant residual/recurrent lesions were identified with similar frequency between the 2 groups. However, after shunt operations, these lesions were detected and treated at significantly younger mean ages for patients followed in the high-risk program (P < .005). CONCLUSIONS: Initiation of a high-risk program might decrease interstage mortality after high-risk neonatal palliative operations. Such an approach might contribute to earlier detection of significant residual/recurrent lesions amenable to therapy.

An institutional approach to, and results for, patient with tetralogy with pulmonary atresia and major systemic-to-pulmonary collateral arteries.

BACKGROUND: Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia and diminutive or absent intrapericardial pulmonary arteries is a rare congenital abnormality, with high morbidity and mortality. Despite great advances in surgical- and catheter-based therapies, management remains challenging and controversial. We describe the surgical methods and the results from our institution. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of the medical records of patients included in our institutional database with tetralogy and pulmonary atresia, concentrating on those predominantly managed by our programme over their lifetime. We obtained demographics and records of all catheterisations and operations, and established mortality. We assessed the current state of those surviving in terms of clinical function at their most recent clinical evaluation and right ventricular function by echocardiography. RESULTS: We assessed 38 patients, with 89% follow-up. The mean number of catheterisations for each patients was 5, with a range from 1 to 15. The mean number of operations was 2.2, with a range from 1 to 6. Unifocalisation had been performed in 26 patients, with 12 undergoing procedures to recruit the native pulmonary vasculature. Of the overall cohort, eight patients died. The ventricular septal defect had been closed in all but two patients. Most patients have no or mild exercise intolerance. Right ventricle dysfunction has been a continuing hazard for 15 years. CONCLUSIONS: An individualised approach, using unifocalisation as well as aggressive attempts to recruit the available native pulmonary vasculature, achieves outcomes in the intermediate term superior to the natural history of the lesions, and comparable with those of other studies.

Urgent permanent pacemaker implantation in critically ill preterm infants.

The management of complete heart block in premature low birth-weight infants, particularly those with hydrops fetalis, is challenging. We report emergent implantation of permanent epicardial pacemakers in the first 48 hours of life in two premature infants (one with hydrops fetalis) with birth weights of 1,400 grams and 1,000 grams.

Transforming patient and family access to medical information: utilisation patterns of a patient-accessible electronic health record.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utilisation of a web-based multimedia patient-accessible electronic health record, for patients with congenital cardiac disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective analysis of patients undergoing congenital cardiac surgery at a single institution from 1 September, 2006 to 1 February, 2009. After meetings with hospital administration, physicians, nurses, and patients, we configured a subset of the cardiac program's web-based clinical electronic health record for patient and family access. The Electronic Health Record continuously measured frequency and time of logins, logins during and between hospitalisations, and page views by type (imaging versus textual data). RESULTS: Of the first 270 patients offered access to the system, 252 became users (93% adoption rate). System uptime was 99.9%, and no security breaches were reported. Users accessed the system more often while the patients were in hospital (67% of total logins) than after discharge (33% of total logins). The maximum number of logins by a family was 440, and the minimum was 1. The average number of logins per family was 25. Imaging data were viewed significantly more frequently than textual data (p 0.001). A total of 12 patients died during the study period and 11 members of their families continued to access their Electronic Health Records after the date of death. CONCLUSIONS: A web-based Patient Accessible Electronic Health Record was designed for patients with congenital cardiac disease. The adoption rate was high, and utilisation patterns suggest that the Electronic Health Record could become a useful tool for health information exchange.

Continuous incisional infusion of local anesthetic in pediatric patients following open heart surgery.

AIM: To determine the efficacy and safety of a continuous subcutaneous local anesthetic (LA) infusion in pediatric patients following open heart surgery. BACKGROUND: The use of a continuous LA infusion has been shown to be beneficial following adult cardiac surgery. To date there are no studies in the pediatric population. METHODS/MATERIALS: Using a prospective, randomized, and double blind design, we compared LA, either 0.25% levobupivacaine or bupivacaine (Treatment Group) to saline (Placebo Group) delivered subcutaneously via a continuous infusion for 72 h after open heart surgery in 72 patients. Requirements for postoperative analgesics and pain scores were recorded for 72 h and plasma levels of local anesthetic were measured. Secondary outcomes measures included time to first oral intake, time to first bowel movement, time to urinary catheter removal, length of stay, requirements for antiemetics and additional sedation. RESULTS: Total morphine requirements over the first 24 h were less in the Treatment Group than the Placebo Group (0.05 mg x kg(-1) vs 0.2 mg x kg(-1), P = 0.007); this was true for all patient groups except those patients weighing less than 6.3 kg. The number of patients requiring no morphine was greater in the Treatment Group (7/35 vs 1/37, P = 0.02). The Treatment Group also received less midazolam, lorazepam, and ketorolac than the Placebo Group over 72 h due to the reduced clinical need for these agents in patients weighing less than 31 kg. There were no differences in secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: A continuous incisional infusion of LA reduced postoperative analgesic requirement and sedative use in pediatric patients undergoing a median sternotomy incision. Dosed at a maximum rate of 0.4 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1), a continuous incisional infusion of LA is effective and safe for up to 72 h, with plasma levels of local anesthetic well below the toxic threshold.

Hybrid ventricular decompression in pulmonary atresia with intact septum.

Initial palliation for pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum continues to evolve in the face of significant early and late morbidity. In patients with suitable anatomy, decompression of the right ventricle may be the first step in treatment. A hybrid approach to right ventricular decompression, combining surgery and interventional catheterization techniques is described. Direct access to the right ventricle through a subxiphoid incision with transventricular sheath placement is used to provide optimum catheter position for radiofrequency perforation of membranous pulmonary atresia followed by balloon dilation. The technique may address key limitations of the traditional surgical and interventional approaches.

Analysis of regional congenital cardiac surgical outcomes in Florida using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database.

BACKGROUND: Florida is the fourth largest state in the United States of America. In 2004, 218,045 live babies were born in Florida, accounting for approximately 1744 new cases of congenital heart disease. We review the initial experience of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database with a regional outcomes report, namely the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Florida Regional Report. METHODS: Eight centres in Florida provide services for congenital cardiac surgery. The Children's Medical Services of Florida provide a framework for quality improvement collaboration between centres. All congenital cardiac surgical centres in Florida have voluntarily agreed to submit data to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Duke Clinical Research Institute prepared a Florida Regional Report to allow detailed regional analysis of outcomes for congenital cardiac surgery. RESULTS: The report of 2007 from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database includes details of 61,014 operations performed during the 4 year data harvest window, which extended from 2003 through 2006. Of these operations, 6,385 (10.5%) were performed in Florida. Discharge mortality in the data from Florida overall, and from each Florida site, with 95% confidence intervals, is not different from cumulative data from the entire Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database, both for all patients and for patients stratified by complexity. CONCLUSIONS: A regional consortium of congenital heart surgery centres in Florida under the framework of the Children's Medical Services has allowed for inter-institutional collaboration with the goal of quality improvement. This experience demonstrates, first, that the database maintained by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons can provide the framework for regional analysis of outcomes, and second, that voluntary regional collaborative efforts permit the pooling of data for such analysis.

Interinstitutional comparison of risk-adjusted mortality and length of stay in congenital heart surgery.

BACKGROUND: Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS) and basic Aristotle scores (BCS) have been shown to correlate with mortality and length of stay (LOS) after congenital heart surgery. Interinstitutional comparisons using these scores, as well as comprehensive Aristotle score (CCS), have not been demonstrated. METHODS: We recorded age, weight, RACHS, BCS, CCS, mortality, and LOS for 1,103 patients undergoing cardiac surgery between September 1, 2004, and June 1, 2007, at two institutions. We used binary logistic and multiple linear regressions to evaluate determinants of mortality and LOS, respectively, the C statistic to compare the predictive power of the three scoring systems for mortality, the odds ratio to compare the two institutions, and regression coefficients to compare scoring systems and institutions for LOS. RESULTS: Raw mortality was 2.9% at both institutions. Final logistic regression models contained only CCS. Odds ratios for death at institutions 1 and 2 were 1.25 and 1.26, respectively (not significant). C statistics for RACHS, BCS, and CCS were 0.73, 0.63, and 0.81, respectively (p = 0.01 for CCS versus BCS; p = 0.02 for CCS versus RACHS). Final regression model for LOS retained age, RACHS, and CCS (R(2) = 0.44). The RACHS regression coefficient was greater for institution 2. CONCLUSIONS: The CCS tends to have more predictive power than RACHS and BCS for mortality. The LOS is moderately correlated with CCS, RACHS, and age together, but the model is a poor predictor of individual LOS. The LOS for RACHS category 6 cases differed between the institutions. This study suggests methods that can be used to compare institutions in a risk-adjusted manner.