Retrospective Cohort Study on the Optimal Timing of Orogastric Tube/Nasogastric Tube Insertion in Infants With Pyloric Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in infants can cause a buildup of gastric contents. Orogastric tubes (OGTs) or nasogastric tubes (NGTs) are often placed in patients with pyloric stenosis before surgical management to prevent aspiration. However, exacerbation of gastric losses may lead to electrolyte abnormalities that can delay surgery, and placement has been associated with increased risk of postoperative emesis. Currently, there are no evidence-based guidelines regarding OGT/NGT placement in these patients. This study examines whether OGT/NGT placement before arrival in the operating room was associated with a longer time to readiness for surgery as defined by normalization of electrolytes. Secondary outcomes included time from surgery to discharge and ability to tolerate feeds by 6 hours postoperatively in patients with and without early OGT/NGT placement. METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, data were extracted from the medical records of 481 patients who underwent pyloromyotomy for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis from March 2013 to June 2016. Multivariable linear regression and Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to evaluate the association between placement of an OGT/NGT at the time of admission with increased time to readiness for surgery (defined as the time from admission to the first set of normalized laboratory values) and increased time from surgery to discharge. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between early OGT/NGT placement and the ability to tolerate oral intake at 6 hours postsurgery. Analyses were adjusted for site differences. RESULTS: Among patients admitted with electrolyte abnormalities, those with an OGT/NGT placed on presentation required more time until their serum electrolytes were at acceptable levels for surgery by regression analysis (19.2 hours difference; 95% confidence interval, 10.05-28.41; P < .001), after adjusting for site. Overall, patients who had OGTs/NGTs placed before presentation in the operating room had a longer length of stay from surgery to discharge than those without (38.8 hours difference; 95% confidence interval, 25.35-52.31; P < .001), after adjusting for site. OGT/NGT placement before surgery was not associated with failure to tolerate oral intake within 6 hours of surgery after adjusting for site, corrected gestational age, and baseline serum electrolytes. CONCLUSIONS: OGT/NGT placement on admission for pyloric stenosis is associated with a longer time to electrolyte correction in infants with abnormal laboratory values on presentation and, subsequently, a longer time until they are ready for surgery. It is also associated with longer postoperative hospital stay but not an increased risk of feeding intolerance within 6 hours of surgical repair.

Intraoperative Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Infant Heart Transplant Patients Is Not Associated with Worsened Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is common during infant cardiac surgery. A previous report of pediatric heart transplant recipients showed that increased RBC transfusion volume was independently associated with increased length of intensive care unit stay. It is unclear whether transfusion to infants as a subgroup carries similar risks. This study investigated relationships between intraoperative RBC transfusion during heart transplantation and postoperative length of stay (LOS), morbidity, and mortality in infants. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of medical records from infants <1 year old undergoing primary heart transplantation at Loma Linda University Medical Center from 1985 to 2012 was conducted. Exclusion criteria included preoperative exchange transfusion or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Data sought included patient characteristics; intraoperative RBC transfusion volume and cardiopulmonary bypass details; and postoperative vasoactive support, ventilator support, morbidity, LOS, and 30-day mortality. The relationship of RBC transfusion volume (mL/kg) to these postoperative variables was assessed by univariate analysis. Multiple regression analysis of postoperative LOS included variables that were independent predictors of LOS or associated with ≥10% change in the ß-estimate for RBC effect. RESULTS: Data from 307 infants showed that most (66.8%) had single-ventricle physiology. Median age at transplant was 50 days, weight 3.95 kg, and intraoperative transfusion volume 109 mL/kg. Transfusion volume was inversely related to age and weight. Median postoperative LOS was 18.2 days. Univariate linear regression analysis of transfused volume showed no relationship to log-transformed postoperative LOS (F(1,305) = 0.00; P = 0.960; R = 0.000; ß-coefficient = 0.004; 95% confidence interval = -0.1542 to 0.1623). Transfused volume was not related to 30-day mortality (difference -0.162; -0.048 to 0.371 mL/kg; P = 0.112) or to postoperative ventilator support (R = 0.047), but was greater in patients who required reoperation (difference -0.246; -0.494 to -0.025; P = 0.004). Multiple regression analysis for all patients revealed age, preoperative ventilator support, prolonged postoperative ventilatory or vasoactive support, transplant year, and 30-day mortality, but not major adverse events, to be significant confounding variables. Adjusting for these variables, transfused volume was not associated with prolonged postoperative LOS. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to a prior report, we found no correlation between intraoperative RBC transfusion and postoperative LOS when studying only infants. Infants have maturing organ systems, less physiologic reserve, and increased surgical blood loss (evaluated as mL/kg) during cardiac surgery than their larger, older counterparts, distinguishing them from the general pediatric population. These differences require additional studies to determine the outcome impact of transfusion strategies in the infant subgroup.