“…Significant
growth failure is well-recognized in infants undergoing congenital heart defect
surgery due to multiple factors including increased metabolic demand, delayed
enteral feeding secondary to prostaglandin infusion, risk of mesenteric
hypoperfusion, and prolonged intubation (Golbus,
Wojcik, Charpie, & Hirsch, 2011). While feeding algorithms have
reduced the number of days to reach full enteral feeds (Braudis et al, 2009; Slicker et al, 2013), patients with cyanotic heart disease often
continue to need nasogastric or gastrostomy tube feeds at discharge due to poor oral
feeding skills (Jadcherla, Vijayapal, &
Leuthner, 2009; Natarajan, Reddy Anne,
& Aggarwal, 2010). Various studies have found that the proportion of
neonates with CHD requiring tube feeding at discharge ranges from 29% to
45% (Einarson & Arthur, 2003;
Kogon et al, 2007).…”