A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CYANOTIC and ACYANOTIC PATIENT'S OUTCOMES IN A POSTOPERATIVE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AT AFIC/NIHD

INTRODUCTION Recent improvements in facilities in paediatric intensive care units (ICUs) have increased the survival rates among children suffering from congenital heart diseases (CHD), including those suffering from the more complex conditions1. Ideal post-operative care following either corrective or palliative operations requires a thorough understanding and systemic evaluation of the underlying anatomic defect, the pathophysiology of pre-operative state, the anesthetic regime used during surgery, the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and the details of operative procedures3. The post-operative myocardium that has been exposed to the effects of CPB, aortic cross clamping, deep hypothermia, or myocardial ischaemic damage may be incapable of increasing stroke volume to confront an acute increase in after-load following surgical procedures. There are other factors related to limitations in healthcare facilities of these countries, such as limited human and material resources for corrective heart surgery in early neonatal period and young infants, inadequate facilities for paediatric cardiac anesthesia, non-existence of pediatric cardiac surgery anesthesiologist, insufficiently trained staffin pediatric cardiology ICU (PICU), poor health infrastructure and referral systems7,8. The current study was undertaken to determine the frequency of complications, the rate of mortality and morbidity of cyanotic/Acyanotic patients and its associated factors in children with CHD who underwent cardiac surgery and were hospitalized in the PICU9. All the patients had a complete medical record containing demographic characteristics, past and present medical history, physical examination, diagnostic evaluation, and operation notes. The post-operative course of each patient from entering the PICU until being discharged from it was carefully monitored and the following...