title: Predictors of Intensive Care Unit Morbidity and Midterm Follow-up after Primary Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our objectives were to review our institutional early and midterm experience with primary tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair, and identify predictors of intensive care unit (ICU) morbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed perioperative and midterm follow-up data for all cases of primary TOF repair from 2001 to 2012. The primary endpoint was early mortality and morbidity, and the secondary endpoint was survival and functional status at follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-seven patients underwent primary repair. The median age was 4.9 months (range, 1 to 9 months), and the median weight was 5.3 kg (range, 3.1 to 9.8 kg). There was no early surgical mortality. The incidence of junctional ectopic tachycardia and persistent complete heart block was 2% and 1%, respectively. The median length of ICU stay was 6 days (range, 2 to 21 days), and the median duration of mechanical ventilation was 19 hours (range, 0 to 136 hours). By multiple regression analysis, age and weight were independent predictors of the length of ICU stay, while the surgical era was an independent predictor of the duration of mechanical ventilation. At the 8-year follow-up, freedom from death and re-intervention was 97% and 90%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary TOF repair is a safe procedure with low mortality and morbidity in a medium-sized program with outcomes comparable to national standards. Age and weight at the time of surgery remain significant predictors of morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Egbe
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Khanh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander Jc
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Mittnacht
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Umesh
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Joashi
keywords: 1. Tetralogy of Fallot; 2. Pediatric; 3. Outcomes; 4. Ventilation; 5. Morbidity