1.Predictors of acute neurological complication following tetralogy of Fallot operation in Serdang Hospital, Malaysia
Yap Ming Teck ; Putri Yubbu ; Yong Shao Wei ; Hing Wee Ven ; Ong Ying Seang ; Navin Kumar Devaraj ; Ani Suraya Abdul Ghan ; Koh Ghee Tiong ; Hamdan Leman,
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2020;75(5):495-501
Background: The long waiting time for Tetralogy of Fallot
(TOF) operation may potentially increase the risk of hypoxic
insult. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine
the frequency of acute neurological complications following
primary TOF repair and to identify the peri-operative risk
factors and predictors for the neurological sequelae.
Methods: A retrospective review of the medical and surgical
notes of 68 patients who underwent TOF repair in Hospital
Serdang, from January 2013 to December 2017 was done.
Univariate and multivariate analyses of demographics and
perioperative clinical data were performed to determine the
risk for the development of acute neurological
complications (ANC) among these patients.
Results: ANC was reported in 13 cases (19.1%) with delirium
being the most common manifestation (10/68, 14.7%),
followed by seizures in 4 (5.9%) and abnormal movements in
two patients (2.9%). Univariate analyses showed that the
presence of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, prolonged
duration of inotropic support (≥7 days), prolonged duration
of mechanical ventilation (≥7 days), longer length of ICU
stays (≥7 days), and longer length of hospital stay (≥14
days), were significantly associated with the presence of
ANCs (p<0.05). However, multivariate analyses did not show
any significant association between these variables and the
development of ANC (p>0.05). The predictors for the
development of postoperative delirium were pre-operative
oxygen saturation less than 75% (Odds Ratio, OR=16.90,
95% Confidence Interval, 95%CI:1.36, 209.71) and duration of
ventilation of more than 7 days (OR=13.20, 95%CI: 1.20,
144.98).
Conclusion: ANC following TOF repair were significantly
higher in patients with RV dysfunction, in those who
required a longer duration of inotropic support, mechanical
ventilation, ICU and hospital stay. Low pre-operative oxygen
saturation and prolonged mechanical ventilation
requirement were predictors for delirium which was the
commonest neurological complications observed in this
study. Hence, routine screening for delirium using an
objective assessment tool should be performed on these
high-risk patients to enable accurate diagnosis and early
intervention to improve the overall outcome of TOF surgery
in this country