[Neurological and growth follow-up of cardiac patients operated on before 45 days of life].
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to study the neurological and growth disorders in patients undergoing cardiac surgery during the neonatal period.


METHODS
Ninety clinical records of newborns with congenital heart disease that were operated between 1985 and 1996 and were under the age of 45 days with a minimum follow-up period of 12 months were reviewed.


RESULTS
Of the 37 patient records considered, 33 (89.1%) were neurosensorially normal, 2 had minor handicaps and 2 moderate handicaps. There were 15 (40.5%) with the weight and 9 (24.3%) with the length below the 10th percentile. Although exitus, handicaps and growth disorders were more frequent in those patients operated in the extracorporal circulation, there were no significant differences. The growth disorders were greater in complex heart diseases and in pulmonary atresia, but significant differences were only related to the weight.


CONCLUSIONS
Because at least 11% of these patients showed neurological disorders, a neurological follow-up is necessary. The number of post-operated patients with growth disorders was high, but catch-up growth resulted in recovery. A greater number of neurological and growth disorder has been found in complex heart disease, where only a palliative treatment could be employed. Although the complete correction of the cardiopathy may imply an early mortality, long time prognosis for survivors is much better.
Alcover Bloch
E
E
Servicio de Neonatología, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universidad de Barcelona.
Gómez López
L
L
Jordán García
I
I
Palà Calvo
M
M
Rodríguez Miguélez
J M
JM
Figueras Aloy
J
J
D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Seguimiento neurológico y somatométrico de operados cardíacos antes de los 45 días de vida.