title: Pre-anesthetic echocardiographic findings in children undergoing non-cardiac surgery at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A pre-anaesthestic echocardiogram (echo) is requested for most non-cardiac surgeries to identify possible cardiac structural anomalies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence and spectrum of structural cardiac abnormalities seen in various non-cardiac conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a retrospective review of pre-anaesthetic echos performed over five years on children scheduled for non-cardiac surgery. The requests were categorised according to referring specialities, and the biodata and echo findings were noted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 181 children and 181 echocardiograms were studied, and 100 (55.2%) of the patients were male. Most of the children (87, 48.1%) with oro-facial clefts were referred from dentistry. Of the 181 children, 39 (21.5%) had cardiac abnormalities, most (34, 87.2%) of whom had congenital heart disease (CHD). Ophthalmic requests with suspected congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) had the highest prevalence of 8/12 (66.7%) while the lowest was oro-facial clefts at 15/87 (17.2%). Atrial septal defect was the commonest abnormality, found in 14 patients (35.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-anaesthetic echo should be performed, especially for children with suspected CRS and other congenital anomalies, requiring non-cardiac surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Nigeria. Email: sadohehi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Wilson E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Sadoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ikhurionan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Imarengiaye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019465:Craniofacial Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012410:Rubella Syndrome, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors