Neurological evaluation and intelligence testing in the child with operated congenital heart disease

Background. The immediate and intermediate-term neurodevelopmental outcome in infants undergoing open heart procedures using deep hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass was assessed prospectively. Methods. One hundred consecutive infants (age 2 to 174 days) were operated on using either deep hypothermic bypass only (group A, n = 28), or with associated circulatory arrest (group B, n = 72). Early neurological outcome was recorded. Survivors underwent mental development evaluation after 31 to 55 months. Fifty other children of similar demographic profile but without heart disease were also tested as controls. Results. In group A, there were two neurological deaths. In group B, 5 patients had clinical seizures, 1 had monoparesis and 1 had hyperkinetic syndrome with decreased attention span. Mean mental performance quotient was 90.0 ± 8.2 in group A, and 89.1 ± 6.8 in group B, (group A vs. B, p = 0.60). Mean mental performance quotient in the control group was 101.4 ± 8.4, which was significantly higher than the patient population ( p ≪ 0.001). No correlation was found between duration of circulatory arrest and postoperative mental performance quotient. Conclusions. There was significant retardation of mental development in infants operated with deep hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. However, use of total circulatory arrest and its duration did not affect clinical outcome up to preschool age.