Cardiac Catheterization in the Early Post-Operative Period After Congenital Cardiac Surgery

OBJECTIVES This study sought to demonstrate that early cardiac catheterization, whether used solely as a diagnostic modality or for the use of transcatheter interventional techniques, can be used effectively and with an acceptable risk in the post-operative period. BACKGROUND Cardiac catheterization offers important treatment for patients with congenital heart disease. Early post-operative cardiac catheterization is often necessary to diagnose and treat residual anatomic defects. Experience with interventional catheterization to address post-operative concerns is limited. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study. The medical and catheterization data of pediatric patients who underwent a cardiac catheterization <= 30 days after congenital heart surgery between November 2004 and July 2013 were reviewed. Patients who underwent right heart catheterization and endomyocardial biopsy after heart transplantation were excluded. RESULTS A total of 219 catheterizations (91 interventional procedures, 128 noninterventional catheterizations) were performed on 193 patients. Sixty-five interventions (71.43%) were dilations, either balloon angioplasty or stent implantation. There was no difference in survival to hospital discharge between those who underwent an interventional versus noninterventional catheterization (p = 0.93). One-year post-operative survival was comparable between those who underwent an intervention (66%) versus diagnostic (71%) catheterization (p = 0.58). There was no difference in the incidence of major or minor complications between the interventional and diagnostic catheterization cohorts (p = 0.21). CONCLUSIONS Cardiac catheterization, including transcatheter interventions, can be performed safely in the immediate post-operative period after congenital heart surgery. (C) 2014 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation.