Early Postoperative Complete Heart Block after Congenital Heart Disease Surgery: A Two Centre Study in Benghazi

• Mohamed A. Alshalwi

  Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Derna, Libya

  Author

• Mariam M. Madany

  Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ben-ghazi, Libya

  Author

• Amal A. Abuseif

  Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ben-ghazi, Libya

  Author

• Hanan I. El Megasbi

  Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ben-ghazi, Libya

  Author

• Hamida Taboli

  Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ben-ghazi, Libya

  Author

• Naema I. Goobaa

  Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ben-ghazi, Libya

  Author

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a common congenital anomaly that requires surgery. A complete heart block (CHB), which can be temporary or permanent, might complicate surgery for CHD. Objectives: to measure the frequency of early postoperative CHB and assess the contributing risk factors among children with CHD who underwent surgery. A retrospective study of 158 patients with CHD who underwent surgery at the National Heart Centre (NHC) and Benghazi Medical Centre (BMC) between December 2021 and March 2023 and underwent evaluation for an incident of CHB in the postoperative intensive care unit (ICU), was carried out. Data collection from patients' medical records included type of CHD, mortality rate, bypass and aortic clamping time, and hypothermia during operation. Transient CHB occurred in 4.4% of patients, and permanent CHB occurred in 0.63%. The age of patients ranged from less than 6 months to 30 years. The surgical procedures associated with CHB included sub-aortic membrane (SAM) (20%), atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) (16.6%), and ventricular septal defect (VSD) (7.1%). The mortality in patients with postoperative CHB was (5%). Other comorbidities, including the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic clamping time, have an important effect on the risk of developing CHB. Reducing the bypass time during surgery can reduce CHB. 

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Copyright (c) 2024 Mohamed A. Alshalwi, Mariam M. Madany, Amal A. Abuseif , Hanan I. El Megasbi, Hamida Taboli, Naema I. Goobaa (Author)

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