[Congenital heart surgery in neonates]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pediatric Surgery
• Congenital Heart Disease

Background:

• 184 neonates with congenital heart disease underwent surgical repair between 1974 and 2002.
• These procedures represented 3.8% of all 4813 congenital heart disease surgeries.
• A dedicated department and improved techniques led to an increase in neonatal operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze surgical repair outcomes for congenital heart disease in neonates.
• To identify challenges and areas for improvement in neonatal cardiac surgery.
• To compare outcomes of surgeries performed with and without cardiopulmonary bypass.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 184 neonatal congenital heart disease surgical repairs.
• Categorization of patients based on the use of cardiopulmonary bypass.
• Comparison of postoperative mortality rates between the two groups.

Main Results:

• 107 neonates were operated without cardiopulmonary bypass, with a 36.4% mortality rate.
• 77 neonates underwent surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, resulting in a 67.5% mortality rate.
• Higher mortality was observed in neonates operated with cardiopulmonary bypass, particularly those with conditions like left heart hypoplasia syndrome.

Conclusions:

• Surgical repair of congenital heart disease in neonates is complex, with significant mortality rates.
• Cardiopulmonary bypass in neonatal cardiac surgery is associated with higher postoperative mortality.
• Continuous improvement of surgical methods is crucial for better outcomes in neonatal congenital heart disease repair.