Bloodless open-heart surgery in infants and children

Abstract

Between October 1984 and January 1993, seven children of Jehovah's Witnesses underwent corrective open-heart surgery for congenital defects, on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Age at surgery ranged from three months to 6.5 years, and weight ranged from 4.2 kg to 23.2 kg, with two children weighing less than 10 kg. The principal cardiac anomalies were tetralogy of Fallot (two), double outlet right ventricle (one), subaortic stenosis (one), transposition of the great arteries and ventricular septal defect (one), atrial septal defect and congenital heart block (one), and congenital mitral regurgitation (one). Hypothermic CPB was used in all seven operations with crystalloid priming of the extracorporeal circuit. CPB was based on our standard perfusion protocols. All surgical procedures were done without the use of blood or blood products. The mean preoperative haematocrit (Hct) was 40.9% (range 31.0-47.8%). The mean lowest intraoperative Hct was 17.3% (range 15.0-24.3%), whereas the immediate post-CPB Hct was 19.6% (range 15.3-24.0%). The Hct progressively increased to 29.2% (range 21.0-34.2%) on the first postoperative day, and 32.3% (range 24.2-38.3%) at the time of discharge. There was no hospital mortality, and the mean hospital stay was 10 days (8-13 days).

We report the safe repair of complex open-heart surgery in children, without blood transfusion, even in small infants. The successful management of these patients requires meticulous attention to surgical and perfusion technique, and sound postoperative management.