We determined the incidence, type and severity of complications after cardiac catheterization in children with heart disease in Norway and present the results in terms of the International Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Code (IPCCC) nomenclature for complications. All 2 pediatric cardiac catheterizations in Norway are performed in one clinical center. All procedures performed during a five-year period beginning in 2010 were prospectively registered, and medical records for cases with complications were reviewed to confirm the event and to re-classify the type, severity and attributability of the complication according to the IPCCC nomenclature. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify possible risk predictors. A total of 1318 catheterizations performed on 941 patients were included in the study, of which 68 % were interventional. The complication and major complication rates were 5.5 % and 1.4 %, respectively. Trauma to vessels or myocardium, hemodynamic adverse events and arrhythmias were the most common types of complications.In the multivariate model, weight < 4 kg (OR, 3.0; 95 % CI: 1.6 -5.8) and risk category 5 (OR, 5.1; 95 % CI: 2.1 -12.3) were significant risk predictors for any complication. In spite of a high rate of interventions, the complication rates in this study were similar to older studies, but diverging methods and terminology limit the comparability. We strongly suggest general use of the proposed IPCCC classification system for registration and reports of complications to pediatric heart catheterizations.

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Objectives: Improved survival has led to a growing population of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD), followed by numerous reports of late complications. Liver disease is a known complication in some patients, with most studies focusing on Fontan associated liver disease. Whether liver disease also exists in other patients with CHD is not fully investigated. Elevated central venous pressure is considered pivotal in the development of liver disease in Fontan associated liver disease, and other patients with alterations in central venous pressure may also be at risk for developing liver fibrosis. We wanted to see if liver fibrosis is present in patients with tetralogy of Fallot. Many patients with tetralogy of Fallot have severe pulmonary regurgitation, which can lead to elevated central venous pressure. Patients with tetralogy of Fallot may be at risk of developing liver fibrosis. Materials and methods: Ten patients (24–56 years) with tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary regurgitation were investigated for liver fibrosis. All patients were examined with magnetic resonance elastography of liver, hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan, indocyanine green elimination by pulse spectrophotometry, elastography via FibroScan, abdominal ultrasound including liver elastography, and blood samples including liver markers. Results: Three out of ten patients had findings indicating possible liver fibrosis. Two of these had a liver biopsy performed, which revealed fibrosis stage 1 and 2, respectively. The same three patients had an estimated elevated central venous pressure in previous echocardiograms. Conclusions: Mild liver fibrosis was present in selected patients with tetralogy of Fallot and may be related to elevated central venous pressure.