Objective: The study objective was to identify determinants of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing univentricular palliation after the shunt procedure.
Methods: We performed a retrospective study of patients with univentricular lesions undergoing modified Blalock-Taussig shunt and central shunt placement, with or without concomitant Norwood/Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedures, between 2004 and 2014.
Results: Overall, 246 patients were included, with 150 patients undergoing concomitant Norwood/Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure. The 30-day and in-hospital mortality were 7.3% and 14.6%, respectively. Progression to bidirectional cavopulmonary connection was achieved in 76% of patients. Acute events occurred in 66 patients (27%), with 42 having an acute event in the first 72 hours postoperatively. Of all in-hospital deaths, 75% had preceding acute events. On multivariable analysis, the risk factor for 30-day or in-hospital mortality was the incidence of an acute event (odds ratio [OR], 13.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.51-36.4; P < .001). Postoperative pH was associated with fewer acute events (OR, 0.61 per 0.1 unit increase; 95% CI, 0.45-0.82; P = .002). Risk factors for shunt thrombosis associated with an acute event were increased postoperative hematocrit (OR, 2.12 per 0.1 unit increase; 95% CI, 1.01-4.58; P = .049) and 3.0-mm shunt size (OR, 3.78; 95% CI, 1.47-10.6; P = .007). Damus-Kaye-Stansel/Norwood procedure, shunt type, morphology, and extracardiac or genetic anomaly were not risk factors for mortality or acute events.
Conclusions: More than one-fifth of patients shunted during univentricular palliation die before the second stage. The majority of these deaths are associated with acute events occurring early after surgery. Strategies to improve survival should focus on prevention and management of acute events.
Keywords: acute events; congenital heart surgery; mortality; shunt; univentricular heart/circulation.
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