A Risk Prediction Model for Reintervention After Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection Repair

Assessing the risk of reoperation for mild pulmonary vein obstruction post-TAPVC repair: a retrospective cohort study

Objective

This study investigates the impact of mild pulmonary vein obstruction, detected via echocardiography before hospital discharge, on the likelihood of reoperation in patients who have undergone repair for Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection (TAPVC).

Method

Utilizing a single-center, retrospective cohort approach, we analyzed 38 cases from October 2017 to December 2023, excluding patients with functionally univentricular circulations or atrial isomerism. Our primary outcome was the necessity for reoperation within one year due to anatomical issues related to the initial TAPVC repair. Mild obstruction was defined as a pulmonary vein flow velocity ≥1.2 m/s.

Result

Our findings revealed that 31.6% of patients exhibited pre-discharge mild obstruction. During the median follow-up of 10 months, reoperations were notably higher in the mild obstruction group compared to the normal group, with a significant association between pre-discharge mild obstruction and increased risk of reoperation. Specifically, in the fully adjusted model, mild obstruction was linked to a 13.9-fold increased risk of reoperation.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that a pre-discharge echocardiography Doppler velocity threshold of 1.2 m/s could serve as a critical predictor for reoperation, emphasizing the need for targeted follow-up strategies for at-risk patients.

Impact of Residual Lesion Severity on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Following Congenital Heart Surgery in Infancy and Childhood

Children with congenital heart disease are at increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay throughout their lifespan. This risk is exacerbated following congenital heart surgery (CHS) in infancy. However, there are few modifiable risk factors for postoperative neurodevelopmental delay. In this study, we assessed the Residual Lesion Score (RLS), a quality assessment metric that evaluates residual lesion severity following CHS, as a predictor of neurodevelopmental delay. This was a single-center, retrospective review of patients who underwent CHS from 01/2011 to 03/2021 and post-discharge neurodevelopmental evaluation from 12 to 42 months of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 3rd Edition (BSID-III). RLS was assigned per published criteria: RLS 1, no residua; RLS 2, minor residua; and RLS 3, major residua or pre-discharge reintervention. Associations between RLS and BSID-III scores, as well as trends in neurodevelopmental outcomes over time, were evaluated. Of 517 patients with median age at neurodevelopmental testing of 20.0 (IQR 18.0-22.7) months, 304 (58.8%), 146 (28.2%), and 67 (13.0%) were RLS 1, 2, and 3, respectively. RLS 3 patients had significantly lower scaled scores in the cognitive, receptive, and expressive communication, and fine and gross motor domains, compared with RLS 1 patients. Multivariable models accounted for 21.5%-31.5% of the variation in the scaled scores, with RLS explaining 1.4-7.3% of the variation. In a subgroup analysis, RLS 3 patients demonstrated relatively fewer gains in cognitive, expressive communication, and gross motor scores over time (all p < 0.05). In conclusion, RLS 3 patients are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental delay, warranting closer follow-up and greater developmental support for cognitive, language, and motor skills soon after surgery.

Contemporary Socioeconomic and Childhood Opportunity Disparities in Congenital Heart Surgery

BACKGROUND

While singular measures of socioeconomic status have been associated with outcomes after surgery for congenital heart disease, the multifaceted pathways through which a child's environment impacts similar outcomes remain incompletely characterized. We sought to evaluate the association between childhood opportunity level and adverse outcomes after congenital heart surgery.

METHODS

Data from patients undergoing congenital cardiac surgery from January 2011 to January 2020 at a quaternary referral center were retrospectively reviewed. Outcomes of interest included predischarge (early) mortality or transplant, postoperative hospital length-of-stay, inpatient cost of hospitalization, postdischarge (late) mortality or transplant, and late unplanned reintervention. The primary predictor was a US census tract-based, nationally-normed composite metric of contemporary child neighborhood opportunity comprising 29 indicators across 3 domains (education, health and environment, and socioeconomic), categorized as very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. Associations between childhood opportunity level and outcomes were evaluated using logistic regression (early mortality), generalized linear (length-of-stay and cost), Cox proportional hazards (late mortality), or competing risk (late reintervention) models, adjusting for baseline patient-related factors, case complexity, and residual lesion severity.

RESULTS

Of 6133 patients meeting entry criteria, the median age was 2.0 years (interquartile range, 3.6 months-8.3 years). There were 124 (2.0%) early deaths or transplants, the median postoperative length-of-stay was 7 days (interquartile range, 5-13 days), and the median inpatient cost was $76 000 (interquartile range, $50 000-130 000). No significant association between childhood opportunity level and early mortality or transplant was observed (P=0.21). On multivariable analysis, children with very low and low opportunity had significantly longer length-of-stay and incurred higher costs compared with those with very high opportunity (all P<0.05). Of 6009 transplant-free survivors of hospital discharge, there were 175 (2.9%) late deaths or transplants, and 1008 (16.8%) reinterventions at up to 10.5 years of follow-up. Patients with very low opportunity had a significantly greater adjusted risk of late death or transplant (hazard ratio, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.1-2.6]; P=0.030) and reintervention (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.9 [95% CI, 1.5-2.3]; P<0.001), versus those with very high opportunity.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood opportunity level is independently associated with adverse outcomes after congenital heart surgery. Children from resource-limited settings thus constitute an especially high-risk cohort that warrants closer surveillance and tailored interventions.