title: Can preoperative cranial ultrasound predict early neurodevelopmental outcome in infants with congenital heart disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of preoperative cranial ultrasound (cUS) in predicting neurodevelopmental outcome in infants undergoing bypass surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study on 77 infants (44 males, 33 females) operated before 3 months of age (median age at surgery 10d [range 3-88d]) who received at least one preoperative cUS. Outcome at 1 year was assessed with a standardized neurological examination and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (mental developmental index [MDI]; psychomotor developmental index [PDI]).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Abnormalities on cUS were detected in 22 (29%) infants and consisted of diffuse brain oedema (n=12, 16%), periventricular white matter injury (n=5, 6%), ventricular dilatation (n=3, 4%), and intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) (n=2, 3%). Infants undergoing balloon-atrial septostomy (BAS) had a higher rate of subsequent brain oedema than those without BAS (p=0.006). cUS abnormalities were not related to neurodevelopmental outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative cUS findings in infants undergoing bypass surgery for CHD occur rather frequently, consisting of mild lesions such as brain oedema or white matter changes. These findings, however, do not correlate with early neurodevelopmental outcome.
authors.affiliation: Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.|Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Latal
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Radiology, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kellenberger
authors.affiliation: Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimitropoulos
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hagmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balmer
authors.affiliation: Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.affiliation: Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.|Department of Paediatric Intensive Care and Neonatology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bernet