title: Management of the postoperative pediatric cardiac surgical patient.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the salient aspects and latest advances in the management of the postoperative pediatric cardiac patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Medline-based literature source.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The practice of pediatric cardiac intensive care has evolved considerably over the last several years. These efforts are the result of a collaborative effort from all subspecialties involved in the care of pediatric patients with congenital heart disease. Discoveries and innovations that are representative of this effort include the extension of cerebral oximetry from the operating room into the critical care setting; mechanical circulatory devices designed for pediatric patients; and surgery in very low birth weight neonates. Advances such as these impact postoperative management and make the field of pediatric cardiac intensive care an exciting, demanding, and evolving discipline, necessitating the ongoing commitment of various disciplines to pursue a greater understanding of disease processes and how to best go about treating them.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange, CA, USA. rbronicki@choc.org
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bronicki
authors.forename: Anthony C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D010372:Pediatrics; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011379:Prognosis; D011786:Quality Control; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents