ObjectiveTo explore the clinical effect of delayed sternal closure (DSC) after neonatal cardiac operations. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 347 neonates who underwent cardiac operations through midterm sternotomy in Shanghai Children's Medical Center between January 2008 and December 2012. There were 273 male and 74 female patients with mean age of 14.8±8.4 days and mean weight at 3.4±0.5 kg. We analyzed the influencing factors of delayed sternal closure and the relationship between delayed sternal closure and mortality. A total of 127 patients had DSC (36.6%). Ninety-two patients were of primary DSC because of hemodynamic instability in the operation room, and 35 were of the secondary DSC because that the sternum was reopened in intensive care unit during the early postoperative period. The diagnosis of complex congenital heart defects had a high risk of DSC. The incidence of DSC for great artery (TGA), corctation of aorta (CoA), interruption of aortic arch (IAA), total anormalous pulmonary vein drainage (TAPVD), Taussig-Bing malformation, hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) was 43.2%, 83.3%, 62.5%, 15.6%, 71.4%, and 66.7% respectively. The DSC patients had longer duration of CPB time (141.4±51.7 min versus 108.5±51.9 min) and clamping time (79.3±29.2 min versus 65.4±25.5 min). In 113 patients the sternums were closed 1-11 days after the initial operation. Sixteen patients died ultimately including 2 deaths after the closure of sternum with a mortality of 12.6%. Surgical site infection occurred in 5 patients including 2 severe patients with surgical intervention. ConclusionDSC has been an essential part of neonatal heart surgery. It provides an opportunity for the recovery of cardiac function.
ObjectiveTo analyze the outcomes of surgical repair for mixed total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).MethodsBetween 2006 and 2018, a total of 51 patients with mixed TAPVC underwent surgery in our hospital. Patients with such associated anomalies as single ventricle and tetralogy of Fallot were excluded. There were 35 males and 16 females with a median age of 102.0 (59.0, 181.0) days and a median weight of 5.0 (4.1, 6.4) kg. Patients were divided into three categories based on the anatomy: "3+1" pattern (n=38, three pulmonary veins drained at one site, and the other drained at the opposite site); "2+2" pattern (n=9, the pulmonary veins from each lung joined to form a confluence and drained at separate sites); bizarre pattern (n=4, the anatomy could not be classified into the above two patterns).ResultsThere was no in-hospital death. The median follow-up was 41.0 (18.0, 86.5) months. Postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction occurred in 10 patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed no statistically significant difference in postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction among the three groups (P=0.239). Cox risk regression showed that preoperative pulmonary venous obstruction was significantly associated with postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction (P=0.024).ConclusionMixed TAPVC has various anatomic morphologies and requires individualized surgery.
ObjectiveTo compare the outcomes of sutureless technique and conventional technique in the surgical repair for infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).MethodsThe clinical data of 46 consecutive patients with infracardiac TAPVC undergoing surgical repair in our hospital between June 2014 and April 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with combined congenital cardiac anomalies such as single ventricle and tetralogy of Fallot were excluded. Patients were divided into a conventional technique group and a sutureless technique group according to the surgical techniques. There were 35 patients in the conventional technique group, including 28 males (80.0%) and 7 females (20.0%) with a median age of 21 (8, 42) d and a median weight of 3.6 (3.0, 4.0) kg. There were 11 patients in the sutureless technique group, including 8 males (72.7%) and 3 females (27.3%) with a median age of 14 (6, 22) d and a median weight of 3.5 (2.9, 3.6) kg. The curative effect of the two groups was compared.ResultsThere were 5 deaths (10.9%) in the conventional technique group, including 4 in-hospital deaths (8.7%) and 1 late death (2.2%). Overall mortality of the conventional technique group (14.3%, 5/35) was higher than that of the sutureless technique group (0.0%, 0/11), although the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.317). Cox regression analysis showed that sex (P=0.042), age at repair (P=0.028), cardiopulmonary bypass time (P=0.007), aortic cross-clamping time (P=0.018) and duration of ventilation (P=0.042) were risk factors for postoperative mortality. The median follow-up was 18.00 (5.00, 37.75) months. Postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction occurred in 22 patients of the conventional technique group, which was significantly more than that of the sutureless technique group (P=0.000).ConclusionFor infracardiac TAPVC, sutureless technique can reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction compared with conventional technique.
ObjectiveTo analyze the outcomes of patients with one-stage Fontan procedure and short-term prognosis at a single institute. Method We retrospectively analyzed clinical records of 116 patients with one-stage Fontan procedure in our hospital from January 2008 through September 2013. There were 77 males and 39 females (36%), with median age 6.27 years (ranged 3.15 to 17.47 years) at the time of surgery and the median weight at 17.5 kg (ranged 10.0 to 80.0 kg). There were 55 patients with standard extracardiac conduit, 13 patients with direct extracardiac connection, 17 patients with intra-atrial or intra/extracardiac conduit, and 31 patients with lateral tunnel. ResultsMedian cardiopulmonary bypass time was 124 (61-256) minutes. Median cross-clamp time was 60 (19-152) minutes. There were six early deaths (5.1%). The overall median time of the cardiac intensive care unit stay was 4 (1-17) days, with a median ventilator support of 7.3 (1.0-181.0) hours. The mean room air saturation was 90.00%±4.68% before discharge. Median length of chest tube drainage was 10 (4-45) days. Multiple logistic analysis confirmed that heterotaxy syndrome was the only independent predictor for postoperative renal insufficiency. Operations with aortic cross-clamping (OR=26.184, 95% CI 1.712-400.451), preoperative sinus mode dysfunction (OR=6.777, 95% CI 1.495-30.721) and cross-clamp time over 60 minutes (OR=1.036, 95% CI 1.002-1.076) were predictors for prolonged chest tube drainage. A total of 110 patients were followed up for 17 (8-47) months with 2 deaths and 1 with thrombosis. No reoperation occurred. ConclusionThe one-stage Fontan procedure can be performed with satisfactory outcomes. Staged strategies for operations may be appropriately loosen for selected elder children.