Comparative analysis of myocardial protection with htk solution and hypothermic hyperkalemic blood solution in the correction of acyanogenic congenital cardiopathies - a randomized study

Abstract Objective: The goal of the present study was to compare the myocardial protection obtained with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) cardioplegic solution (Custodiol®) and with intermittent hypothermic blood solution. Methods: Two homogenous groups of 25 children with acyanotic congenital heart disease who underwent total correction with mean aortic clamping time of 60 minutes were evaluated in this randomized study. Troponin and creatine kinase-MB curves, vasoactive-inotropic score, and left ventricular function were obtained by echocardiogram in each group. The values were correlated and presented through graphs and tables after adequate statistical treatment. Results: It was observed that values of all the studied variables varied over time, but there was no difference between the groups. Conclusion: We conclude that in patients with acyanotic congenital cardiopathies submitted to total surgical correction, mean aortic clamping time around one hour, and cardiopulmonary bypass with moderate hypothermia, the HTK crystalloid cardioplegic solution offers the same myocardial protection as the cold-blood hyperkalemic cardioplegic solution analyzed, according to the variables considered in our study model.

Analysis of surgical mortality for congenital heart defects using rachs-1 risk score in a brazilian single center

ABSTRACT Introduction: Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery 1 (RACHS-1) score is a simple model that can be easily applied and has been widely used for mortality comparison among pediatric cardiovascular services. It is based on the categorization of several surgical palliative or corrective procedures, which have similar mortality in the treatment of congenital heart disease. Objective: To analyze the in-hospital mortality in pediatric patients (<18 years) submitted to cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease based on RACHS-1 score, during a 12-year period. Methods: A retrospective date analysis was performed from January 2003 to December 2014. The survey was divided in two periods of six years long each, to check for any improvement in the results. We evaluated the numbers of procedures performed, complexity of surgery and hospital mortality. Results: Three thousand and two hundred and one surgeries were performed. Of these, 3071 were able to be classified according to the score RACHS-1. Among the patients, 51.7% were male and 47.5% were younger than one year of age. The most common RACHS-1 category was 3 (35.5%). The mortality was 1.8%, 5.5%, 14.9%, 32.5% and 68.6% for category 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, respectively. There was a significant increase in the number of surgeries (48%) and a significant reduction in the mortality in the last period analysed (13.3% in period I and 10.4% in period II; P=0.014). Conclusion: RACHS-1 score was a useful score for mortality risk in our service, although we are aware that other factors have an impact on the total mortality.