Predictors of oral feeding difficulty in cardiac surgical infants.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to identify factors contributing to postoperative feeding difficulties in neonates following cardiac surgery.


METHODS
A retrospective cohort study used chart audit of 101 consecutive infants who underwent cardiac surgery. Ten variables were analyzed as possible predictors of postoperative feeding difficulties including: diagnosis, demographics, details of surgery, and postoperative course.


RESULTS
At hospital discharge, 72 (71.3%) infants were orally feeding and 29 (28.7%) were not. Overall mean hospital length of stay was 17.73 (+ 16.40 days). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed vocal chord injury (odds ratio 11.80), length of postoperative intubation (odds ratio 1.10 per day), and weight at surgery (odds ratio 0.34) as independent predictors of failure to feed orally at discharge from hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
Risk factors for feeding difficulties in the postcardiac surgery infant are vocal chord injury, prolonged intubation, and low weight at surgery. Early identification of neonates at risk for feeding difficulties may lead to development of strategies to reduce morbidity, improve patient care, and provide better resource utilization.
Einarson
Kathleen D
KD
Cardiovascular Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario.
Arthur
Heather M
HM
D001835:Body Weight; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000293:injuries