Impact of Regional Cerebral Perfusion on Outcomes Among Neonates Undergoing Norwood Operation

Migally and colleagues retrospectively evaluated data from the Pediatric Heart Network Single Ventricle Reconstruction trial to determine whether regional cerebral perfusion (RCP) affected outcomes for neonates undergoing the Norwood operation. A total of 549 patients were included in the analysis, with 45.9% of them receiving RCP during their procedure. The authors found that RCP use was not associated with mortality and/or need for heart transplant, prolonged mechanical ventilation, or prolonged length of hospital stay. It was associated with longer cardiopulmonary bypass times, increased use of ultrafiltration, and a higher probability of open chest after the procedure, however the authors also noted a strong association between lower procedural volume and use of RCP.