Objectives
We sought to investigate the impact of early postoperative low arterial oxygen saturation on mortality and morbidity after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt.
Methods
The medical records of all patients who underwent bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt between 2013 and 2018 were reviewed.
Results
A total of 164 patients were included in this study. Forty-seven patients underwent reintervention during hospital stay at median 7 days after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt. Before reintervention, 30 patients were intubated or had SpO2 of less than 75%. All re-interventions for Glenn pathway obstruction and 4 out of 5 venovenous coil embolization resulted in hospital discharge, while high mortality was observed after other re-interventions (atrioventricular valve surgery, thrombolysis, systemic ventricular outflow obstruction relief, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation implantation, and diaphragmatic plication). Additional aortopulmonary shunt with pulmonary artery discontinuation was performed in 8 patients who showed severe cyanosis with median SpO2 of 59% under maximal ventilation support. In univariable Cox regression analysis, the associated factors for mortality before total cavopulmonary connection were reduced ventricular function (HR 6.89, 95% CI 1.76–26.9, P value 0.006), greater than moderate atrioventricular valve regurgitation (HR 5.89, 95% CI 1.70–20.4, P value 0.005), SpO2 1 hour after extubation (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.80–0.96, P value 0.004), and mean pulmonary artery pressure 1 hour after extubation (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02–1.26, P value 0.016).
Conclusions
After bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt, unacceptable cyanosis persisted with various etiologies. Low arterial oxygen saturation within 1 hour after extubation is significantly associated with high mortality after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt.