The choice of perioperative inotropic support impacts the outcome of small infants undergoing complex cardiac surgery: an observational study.

Background: Vaso-inotropic agents are frequently used to prevent and/or treat low cardiac output syndrome in infants undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease. Due to the lack of comparative studies, their use is largely dependent on physician- and center preferences. The aim was to assess the impact of two different inotropic regimens, milrinone-epinephrine versus dobutamine on postoperative morbi-mortality in young children undergoing complex cardiac surgery.

Does a balanced colloid decrease perioperative blood loss in paediatric cardiac surgery: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial?

Background: Unbalanced fluid solutions cause metabolic acidosis and could be associated with impaired coagulation and increased blood loss.

Objective: To investigate whether the use of a balanced colloid compared with a saline colloid for peri-operative fluid therapy in children undergoing cardiac surgery is associated with decreased blood loss and exposure to blood products.

Design: Double-blinded randomised controlled trial.

Heparin Reversal After Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Are Point-of-Care Coagulation Tests Interchangeable?

Objective: Protamine is used to neutralize heparin after patient separation from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Different bedside tests are used to monitor the adequacy of heparin neutralization. For this study, the interchangeability of the activated coagulation time (ACT) and thromboelastometry (ROTEM; Tem Innovations GmbH, Basel, Switzerland) clotting time (CT) ratios in children undergoing cardiac surgery was assessed.