Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy After Cardiothoracic Surgery in Children Less Than 2 Months Old: An Assessment of Long-Term Malnutrition Status and Gastrostomy Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Infants with critical congenital heart disease undergoing cardiothoracic surgery commonly experience chronic malnutrition and growth failure. We sought to determine whether placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was associated with reduced moderate-severe malnutrition status and to describe percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy-related clinical and safety outcomes in this population. DESIGN: Single-center, retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Two hundred fifty-nine-bed, tertiary care, pediatric referral center. PATIENTS: Children with congenital heart disease less than 2 months old undergoing cardiothoracic surgery from 2007 to 2013 with and without percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Primary outcomes were weight for age z scores during hospitalization, at 6 months, and 1 year after cardiothoracic surgery. Secondary outcomes were frequency of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy revision, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy complications, and mortality. Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon rank-sum, Fisher exact, and Student t tests. Two hundred twenty-two subjects met study criteria, and 77 (35%) had percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placed at a mean of 45 ± 31 days after cardiothoracic surgery. No differences were noted for demographics, comorbidities, and weight for age z score at birth and at the time of cardiothoracic surgery. The percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy cohort had greater Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery risk category (4 [4-5] vs 4 [2-4]) and length of stay (71 d [49-101 d] vs 26 d [15-42 d]). Mean weight for age z score at the time of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was -2.8 ± 1.3. Frequency of moderate-severe malnutrition (weight for age z score, ≤ -2) was greater in children with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy at discharge (78% vs 48%), 6 months (61% vs 16%), and 1 year (41% vs 2%). Index mortality was lower in children with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy at 30 days (8% vs 0%) and hospital discharge (19% vs 4%). However, no mortality differences were observed after discharge. Growth velocity after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was greater (44 ± 19 vs 10 ± 9 g/d). Children tolerated percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy without hemodynamic compromise, minor percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy complications, and anticipated percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy revisions. Children without mortality had percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy removal at a median duration of 253 days (133-545 d). Children with univentricular physiology had improved in-hospital mean growth velocity (6.3 vs 24.4 g/d; p < 0.01) and reduced 1-year rate moderate-severe malnutrition (66.7% vs 36.9%; p < 0.01) after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement was well tolerated and associated with improved postoperative growth velocity in children with critical congenital heart disease undergoing cardiothoracic surgery less than 2 months old. These findings were also noted in our subanalysis of children with univentricular physiology. Persistent rates of moderate-severe malnutrition were noted at 1-year follow-up. Although potential index mortality benefit was observed, definitive data are still needed.

Postoperative Abdominal NIRS Values Predict Low Cardiac Output Syndrome in Neonates.

BACKGROUND: The development of low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) occurs in up to 25% of neonates and is associated with increased morbidity. Invasive cardiac output monitors such as pulmonary artery catheters have limited availability and are costly. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a noninvasive tool for monitoring regional oxygenation in neonates in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). We hypothesize that anterior abdominal NIRS may aid in the early identification of LCOS after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Prospective observational study from October 2013 to October 2014 of all neonates with congenital heart disease admitted to the CICU following CPB. Abdominal NIRS values were continuously recorded upon CICU admission and for the subsequent 24-hour period. The primary outcome was the development of LCOS. Low cardiac output syndrome was defined as the presence of metabolic lactic acidosis (pH < 7.3 and lactate > 4) or addition of a new vasoactive agent or a vasoactive inotropic score > 15. Autoregressive time series models were constructed for each patient based on the continuously recorded NIRS values, and patients were stratified by development of LCOS. RESULTS: Twenty-seven neonates met inclusion criteria, of whom 11 developed LCOS. Neonates who developed LCOS had lower constant NIRS values (49% vs. 66%, P < .001). Constant NIRS values less than 58% best predicted development of LCOS with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 69%. CONCLUSION: Lower constant anterior abdominal NIRS values in the early postoperative period may allow early identification of neonates at risk for LCOS.