Outcomes of critical congenital heart disease requiring emergent neonatal cardiac intervention.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes for neonates with critical congenital heart disease (CHD) requiring emergent neonatal cardiac intervention (ENCI).

Methods: Neonates < 30 days of age that underwent ENCI at <48 h of age were retrospectively enrolled over a 2-year period.

Results: Forty-seven neonates met inclusion criteria for ENCI comprising nine cardiac defects that underwent 25 catheterizations and 22 cardiothoracic surgeries. The main groups were d-transposition of the great arteries (DTGA) and total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR). Prenatal detection was 38% overall: higher for single ventricle (86%) and heterotaxy (75%) than for DTGA (28%) or TAPVR (13%). Mortality was 11.1% (2/18) in prenatally diagnosed versus 13.8% (4/29) in postnatally diagnosed neonates (p = 0.86). Prenatal detection was associated with shorter mean hospital stay: 16.8 versus 30.3 days (p = 0.03). Prenatally diagnosed patients had lower preoperative inotropic scores (p = 0.02), less acidosis (pH; p = 0.09), but decreased likelihood of spontaneous labor (p = 0.01), lower gestational age (p = 0.01), and lower birth weight (p = 0.01).

Conclusions: Fewer deaths occurred in neonates with prenatal detection of their critical CHD requiring ENCI. However, there was no statistical difference in survival demonstrated for prenatally diagnosed neonates in this small cohort. Prenatal detection did improve preoperative clinical status and shorten hospital length of stay.