Kangaroo care improves post-extubation cardiorespiratory parameters in infants after open heart surgery

The aim of this investigation was to study whether kangaroo care could be helpful in full-term infants subjected to cardiac postoperative intensive care during the early post-extubation hours. Kangaroo care was performed at 2-h intervals in the first 12 h after extubation in 5 male infants and assessed by cardiorespiratory parameters. Results showed that, during kangaroo care, heart rate (123 +/- 4 vs 128 +/- 5 bpm), respiratory frequency (43 +/- 3 vs 51 +/- 5 breath pm), transcutaneous carbon dioxide (46 +/- 2 vs 50 +/- 4 mmHg) and central venous pressure (11 +/- 0.8 vs 12 +/- 1.2 mmHg) significantly decreased (p <0.05 for all), while oxygen saturation (78 +/- 6 vs 74 5 mmHg) and transcutaneous oxygen pressure increased (42 +/- 2 vs 38 +/- 3 mmHg) (p < 0.05 for all).

We conclude that kangaroo care might be a useful technique contributing to stabilization of the cardiorespiratory status in postoperative paediatric cardiac intensive care.