Introduction In postoperative cardiac care, early detection and management of complications are crucial for optimal outcomes. Third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block, also known as complete heart block (CHB), is a significant concern, leading to symptoms like fatigue, exertion intolerance, and life-threatening events such as syncope or heart failure, often necessitating cardiac pacemaker (CP) implantation for timely intervention. In the postoperative period of cardiac surgery, conduction issues stemming from metabolic or inflammatory changes are common, necessitating temporary or permanent CPs to stabilize […]

Abstract Background Surgical site infection is an important complication after pediatric cardiac surgery, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Objectives We sought to identify risk factors for surgical site infection after pediatric cardiac surgeries. Methods A case-control study included patients aged between 1 year and 19 years and 11 months of age, submitted to cardiac surgery performed at a tertiary cardiac center from January 1 st , 2011, through December 31, 2018. Charts were reviewed for pre-, intra, and postoperative […]

Introduction Hypoplasia of the left heart is characterized by very small dimensions of the left cardiac cavities, represented by the left atrium, mitral valve, left ventricle, aortic ring and ascending aorta. Systemic circulation thus becomes dependent on the ductus arteriosus with reverse flow from the hypertensive pulmonary artery to the descending aorta, and also to the ascending aorta. Coronary circulation is also dependent on this reverse flow, which is why there is a high chance of myocardial infarction, even in […]

Background: Surgical site infections (SSI) are among the most prevalent infections in healthcare institutions, attributing a risk of death which varies from 33% to 77% and a 2- to 11-fold increase in risk of death. Patients submitted to cardiac surgery are more susceptible to SSI, accounting for 3.5% to 21% of SSI. The mortality rate attributable to these causes is as high as 25%. Prevention of SSI in cardiac surgery is based on a bundle of preventive measures, which focus […]