Survival status and functional outcome of children who required prolonged intensive care after cardiac surgery

Abstract

Background Children who require prolonged intensive care after cardiac surgery are at risk of high mortality. The long-term survival and functional outcome of these children have not been studied in detail. Methods Children who stayed in intensive care for >28 days after cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2012 were studied in a single institution. A total of 116 patients were identified; 107 (92%) were <1 year of age and 63 (54%) had univentricular physiology. Results The incidence of children requiring prolonged intensive care increased from 1.01/100 undergoing cardiac surgery in 1997 to 2000 to 2.66/100 in 2009 to 2012 (P trend = .002). This increase coincided with an increase in the number of c..