Neurologic complications of cyanotic congenital heart disease

ABSTRACT

Children with cyanotic congenital heart disease are at risk for neurologic complications including cerebrovascular accidents, and cerebral abscesses. During a period from 1989 to 1999, eight children with cyanotic heart disease who suffered from a neurologic complication were admitted at our pediatrics ward. They were 6 girls and 2 boys. The age on hospitalization ranged from 6 months to 15 years. Five patients had tetralogy of Fallot and 3 had transposition of great arteries. There were three cases of brain abscesses. Five patients had cerebrovascular accidents, in two of them; the sequelae were secondary to cardiac catheterization. Prolonged uncorrected chronic hypoxemia, and polycythemmia in addition to increased blood viscosity were the most common risk factors in the patients