Objective:To describe the complications associated with heart surgery, compare them to a reference population, and identify mortality risk factors. Patients and methods: Retrospective and descriptive study. All patients who underwent surgery at Hospital Garrahan in the 2013-2015 period were included. Age, weight, procedure, mechanical ventilation, length of stay in days, morbidity, and course were recorded. Renal failure requiring dialysis, neurological deficit, permanent pacemaker, circulatory support, phrenic nerve or vocal cord palsy, reoperation, wound infection, chylothorax, and tracheotomy were considered morbidities. A descriptive, statistical analysis by risk category was done using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) morbidity score. Results: 1536 patients, median age: 12 months (interquartile range [IQR] 25-75: 3-60), weight: 8 kg (IQR 25-75: 4.4 to 17.5), mortality: 5%. A total of 361 events were recorded in 183 patients. An unplanned reoperation was the most common event (7.2%); the rest occurred in ≤ 3% of patients. Compared to patients without complications, patients who had events required more days on mechanical ventilation: 9.95 ) versus 1.8 (IQR 2575: 1.46-2.14), p < 0.00001; a longer length of stay: 28.8 (IQR 25-75: 25.1-32.5) versus 8.5 (IQR 25-75: 7.9-9.2), p < 0.0001; and had a higher mortality: 19.6% versus 3.1% (RR: 4.58, 95% CI: 3.4 to 6.0), p < 0.0001. Circulatory support and renal failure were associated with a higher mortality. Conclusions: An unplanned reoperation was the most common event. Patients with complications required more days on mechanical ventilation and a longer length of stay and had a higher mortality. Circulatory support and renal failure were associated with a higher mortality.

The mechanical circulatory support in our institution is a safe and standard procedure. We have been using it in a small number of cases with a similar survival to that reported internationally. This complex procedure is widely justified because it allows for the recovery of more than half of the patients who otherwise would have died.

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Objective: To describe the results of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients undergoing heart surgery and analyze the risk factors for morbidity and mortality. Methods: Retrospective study conducted in cardiac patients under circulatory support. Outcome measures, diagnosis, surgery, Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS) score, implantation time, cannulation, length of support during stay, complications, survival, and follow-up were recorded. Risks were analyzed in relation to age, weight, RACHS score, single-ventricle or biventricular disease, implantation time, length of support and stay, and complications. Descriptive statistical and logistic regression analyses for risk factors were done. Results: Among 5295 hospitalizations, 72 patients required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (1.37 %). Median age: 6.5 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 20 days-2 years); weight: 5.5 kg (IQR: 3.25-9.5); pump time: 188 min (IQR: 134-246.5); clamp time: 92 min (65-117). Cannulation was done in the operating room in 34 cases (47 %). The median length of support was 3 days (IQR: 2-5), and of stay, 20 days (IQR: 11-32). Survival at discharge was 49 %; 8 patients died during follow-up. The most common complication was bleeding (57 %). Weight < 5 kg (p = 0.01) and vasopressor use during support (p = 0.012) were associated with a risk for mortality. The survival rate at 10 years was 77 %; 84 % of patients corresponded to functional class 1-2, and 37 % had some degree of developmental delay. Conclusions: The most common complication was bleeding; weight and vasopressor use were associated with mortality.

Objective. To describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a pediatric cardiovascular surgery program and estimate the necessary time to reduce the surgery waiting list. Methods. Retrospective, descriptive study. Surgical outcomes from the pre-COVID-19 period and COVID-19 period were compared. A mathematical model was used to estimate the time necessary to reduce the waiting list. Results. Between March 23 rd and August 31 st , 2020, 83 patients underwent surgery, accounting for a 60 % reduction compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Their median age was 6 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 25-75, 1.8 months to 2.9 years; p = 0.0023). The time necessary to eliminate the waiting list ranges from 10 to 19 months. Conclusions. There was a 60 % reduction in the program. The time required to clear the backlog of cases may range from, at least, 10 to 19 months.