Efficacy of catheter interventions in the early and very early postoperative period after CHD operation

Safety, timing, and outcomes of early post-operative cardiac catheterisation following congenital heart surgery

OBJECTIVE

The safety of early post-operative cardiac catheterisation has been described following congenital heart surgery. Optimal timing of early post-operative cardiac catheterisation remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to describe the safety of early post-operative cardiac catheterisation and its impact on cardiac ICU and hospital length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, and extracorporeal support.

METHODS

This single-centre retrospective cohort study compared clinical and outcome variables between "early" early post-operative cardiac catheterisation (less than 72 hours after surgery) and "late" early post-operative cardiac catheterisation (greater than 72 hours after surgery) groups using Chi-squared, Student's t, and log-rank test (or appropriate nonparametric test).

RESULTS

In total, 132 patients were included, 22 (16.7%) "early" early post-operative cardiac catheterisation, and 110 (83.3%) "late" early post-operative cardiac catheterisation. Interventions were performed in 63 patients (51.5%), 7 (11.1%) early and 56 (88.9%) late. Complications of catheterisation occurred in seven (5.3%) patients, two early and five late. There were no major complications. Patients in the late group trended towards a longer stay in the cardiac ICU (19 days [7, 62] versus 11.5 days [7.2, 31.5], p = 0.6) and in the hospital (26 days [9.2, 68] versus 19 days [13.2, 41.8], p = 0.8) compared to the earlier group.

CONCLUSION

"Early" early post-operative cardiac catheterisation was associated with an overall low rate of complications. Earlier catheterisations trended towards shorter cardiac ICU and hospital length of stays. Earlier catheterisations may lead to earlier recovery for patients not following an expected post-operative course.

Risk Factors and Outcome of Pulmonary Artery Stenting After Bidirectional Cavopulmonary Connection (BDCPC) in Single Ventricle Circulation

After bidirectional cavopulmonary connection (BDCPC) central pulmonary arteries (PAs) of single ventricle (SV) patients can be affected by stenosis or even closure. Aim of this study is to compare SV patients with and without PA-stent implantation post-BDCPC regarding risk factors for stent implantation and outcome. Single center, retrospective (2006-2021) study of 136 SV consecutive patients with and without PA-stent implantation post-BDCPC. Patient characteristics, risk factors for PA-stent implantation and PA growth were assessed comparing angiographic data pre-BDCPC and pre-TCPC. A total of 40/136 (29%) patients underwent PA-stent implantation at median (IQR) 14 (1.1-39.0) days post-BDCPC. 37/40 (92.5%) underwent LPA-stenting. Multiple regression analysis showed single LV patients to receive less likely PA-stents than single RV patients (OR 0.41; p = 0.05). Reduced LPA/BSA (mm/m2) and larger diameter of neo-ascending aorta pre-BDCPC were associated with an increased likelihood of PA-stent implantation post-BDCPC (OR 0.89, p = 0.03; OR 1.05, p = 0.001). Stent re-dilatation was performed in 36/40 (89%) after 1 (0.8-1.5) year. Pulmonary artery diameters pre-BDCPC were lower in the PA-stent group: McGoon (p < 0.001), Nakata (p < 0.001). Indexed pulmonary artery diameters increased equally in both groups but remained lower pre-TCPC in the PA-stent group: McGoon (p < 0.001), Nakata (p = 0.009), and Lower Lobe Index (p = 0.003). LPA and RPA grew symmetrically in both groups. Single RV, larger neo-ascending aorta, and small LPA pre- BDCPC are independent risk factors for PA-stent implantation post-BDCPC. Pulmonary artery diameters after PA-stent implantation and stent re-dilatation showed significant growth together with the contralateral side, but the PA-system remained symmetrically smaller in the stent group.

Early Postoperative Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Outcomes: A Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

Early postoperative catheterizations (EPOCs) within 6 weeks after a congenital heart surgical procedure can treat residual lesions and provide important clinical information. However, EPOCs are often assumed to impose additional risk on a vulnerable patient population. This study aimed to describe the EPOC population, evaluate procedural safety, compare EPOC patients with procedure-matched non-EPOC patients, and determine risk factors for poor outcomes using data from the Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Project on Outcomes registry.

METHODS

In a retrospective cohort, demographic, clinical, and procedural characteristics were analyzed for diagnostic and interventional catheterizations performed in 13 participating institutions from January 2014 to December 2017, excluding patients after heart transplant. The primary outcome was a high-severity adverse event (AE). Three distinct analyses included (1) describing the full cohort and EPOC patients, (2) comparing EPOC patients with and without a high-severity AE, and (3) comparing EPOC patients with controls matched on case type.

RESULTS

This study included 17,776 catheterizations, with 1399 EPOCs. The high-severity AE rate was 6.4% overall, 8.9% in the EPOC cohort, and 8.4% in matched controls (P = .74). The association between EPOC status and high-severity AE was not significant in a multivariable model (P = .17). In EPOCs with a high-severity AE, median procedure duration was 30 minutes longer (P < .001), and median time from surgical procedure to catheterization was 3 days longer (P = .05).

CONCLUSIONS

EPOC was not associated with additional risk. Individual patient characteristics of size and hemodynamic vulnerability may serve as informative predictors. Timely catheterization may preempt further clinical deterioration, and intraprocedure duration optimization may correlate with improved outcomes.

Balloon angioplasty and stent implantation within 30 days postcongenital heart surgery (CHS) in children

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to assess balloon angioplasty (BAP) and stent implantation (SI) procedures early after congenital heart surgery (CHS) in children.

BACKGROUND

These interventions are considered potential high-risk procedures and often avoided or postponed.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, single centre study of all BAP and SI procedures within 30 days after CHS (01/2001 until 01/2021).

RESULTS

A total of 127 (96 SI, 31 BAP) procedures were performed in 104 patients at median 6.5 days (interquartile range: 1-15) after CHS. Balloon-to-stenosis ratio and balloon-to-reference vessel ratio were significantly smaller compared to stent-to-stenosis ratio and stent-to-reference vessel ratio (p < .001 and p = .005). There was a greater rise in absolute vessel diameter, greater rise in vessel diameter in relation to the stenosis and vessel diameter in relation to the reference vessel with SI (p < .001, p = .01, and p < .001). Up to 94% SIs fulfilled both success criteria (increase of vessel diameter ≥50% of minimal vessel diameter or achievement ≥75% of the reference vessel diameter). Major adverse events were more frequent in the BAP group (p = .05). Intraprocedural complications were 5/31 (16%) in the BAP group and 13/96 (13%) in the SI group (p = .77).

CONCLUSION

BAP and SI procedures within 30 days post-CHS can be performed safely, with a greater stent-to-stenosis ratio and a greater rise in vessel diameter with stent implantation.

Indications and outcomes of cardiac catheterization following congenital heart surgery in children

OBJECTIVES

Our goal was to evaluate the indications for postoperative cardiac catheterizations after paediatric cardiac surgeries and their impact on outcomes.

METHODS

Non-planned cardiac catheterizations performed after congenital heart surgeries and before discharge between January 2013 and July 2019 were reviewed. Hybrid procedures were excluded. Heart defects, illness course, surgeries and catheter procedures were classified. Indications and findings were comprehensively regrouped. Outcomes were analysed.

RESULTS

Cardiac catheterizations were performed on 192 patients (median age 2.3 months, weight 4.2 kg) on median postoperative day 7 (interquartile range, 2-17 days). Patients had defects of great complexity (79.9%), high disease severity index (46.4%), high Aristotle level of surgical complexity (75%) and a high Catheterization RISk Score for Pediatrics category of catheterizations (61%). Catheterizations confirmed 66% of suspected diagnoses. Confirmed diagnoses were more likely to be haemodynamic anomalies than anatomical lesions (81.3% > 53.7%, P < 0.001). Confirmed anatomical lesions were more likely to be residual than new lesions created by surgery (88.5% > 40.4%, P < 0.001). New diagnoses were identified in 36.5% of patients. Catheterization findings led to catheter-based or surgical interventions in 120 (62.5%) patients. Transcatheter interventions were successful (97.7%), immediate (89.5%) and performed across fresh suture lines (27.8%). Repeat catheterizations (76% interventional) were necessary in 25 (13%) patients. A high index of disease severity [odds ratio (OR): 16.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.72-71.17], extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support (OR: 10.35, 95% CI: 2.78-38.56), delayed sternal closure (OR: 4.66, 95% CI: 1.25-17.32) and surgically acquired lesions (OR: 3.70, 95% CI: 1.22-11.16) were significant risk factors of 12-month mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative cardiac catheterizations answer both anatomical and haemodynamic questions in high-risk patients with complicated courses and guide subsequent treatment with satisfactory outcomes.

Cardiac catheterization addressing early post-operative complications in congenital heart surgery-a single-center experience

BACKGROUND

Cardiac catheterization after congenital heart surgery may play an important role in the diagnosis and management of patients with a complicated or unusual post-operative course. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and outcome of cardiac catheterization performed in the early post-operative period following congenital heart surgery. All patients who underwent cardiac catheterization after congenital heart surgery during the same admission of cardiac surgery from November 2015 to May 2018 were included in the study.

RESULTS

Thirty procedures were performed for 27 patients (20 interventional and 10 diagnostic). The median age of the patients was 15 months (15 days to 20 years), median weight was 8.2 kg (3.4 to 53 kg), and median time from surgery was 3 days (0-32 days). Eleven procedures were performed for 11 patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. The main indications for catheterization included the inability to wean from ECMO (10 procedures) and cyanosis (10 procedures). Interventional procedures included angioplasty using stents (10 procedures, success rate of 90%), angioplasty using only balloons (2 procedures, success rate of 50%), and occlusion for residual shunts (8 procedures, success rate of 100%). No mortality was recorded during any procedure. Vasoactive-inotropic score had significantly decreased 48 h after catheterization when compared to pre-catheterization scores (p = 0.0001). Moreover, 72% of patients connected to ECMO support were successfully weaned from ECMO after catheterization. Procedural complications were recorded in 3 interventional procedures. Survival to hospital discharge was 55.5% and overall survival was 52%. Patients on ECMO support had a higher mortality than other patients.

CONCLUSION

Cardiac catheterization can be performed safely in the early post-operative period, and it could improve the outcome of the patient (depending on the complexity of the cardiac lesions involved).