A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Flat Times Versus Standard Care in Pediatric Patients Post Cardiac Catheterization.

Background: Pediatric patients undergoing cardiac catheterization procedures are required to lie flat for 4 hours for femoral venous access and 6 hours for femoral arterial access. Authors of research in adults suggest the flat time for the same access can be safely reduced to 1.5 to 2 hours post procedure. No literature was found that flat times could be safely reduced for pediatric patients.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether decreased flat time for the post-cardiac catheterization pediatric patient would impact the incidence of site bleeding, additional sedation, and the need for a critical care admission.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was designed and participants were randomly assigned to experimental or control group. The experimental group reduced flat times to 2 hours for venous and 4 hours for arterial. The control group was standard care of 4 hours for venous and 6 hours for arterial.

Results: A total of 119 participants were enrolled, 60 in the experimental group and 59 in the control group. Results suggest no difference in the incidence of site bleeding (P = .999), additional sedation (P = .653), or need for a critical care admission.

Conclusions: For pediatric patients undergoing arterial or venous cardiac catheterizations, flat times can safely be reduced without increasing site bleeding, additional sedation, or critical care admissions.