The incidence, risk factors and prognosis of pericardial effusion and postpericardiotomy syndrome in children who were operated because of congenital heart disease

Despite the major advances in the diagnosis and treatment, PPS is one of the leading causes of morbidity after cardiac surgery even in developed countries. The initial clinical manifestation is the development of postoperative pericardial effusion. In this retrospective study we aimed to evaluate the frequency of effusion, risk factors for effusion, operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, type of congenital heart disease in pediatric patients who underwent cardiac surgery. We analyzed 469 patients who were operated in Başkent University Hospital Department of Cardiovascular Surgery between March 2011-March 2012. Sixtysix patients with pericardial effusion were investigated in detail. During this time incidence of postoperative pericardial effusion was 14% and frequency of PPS was 13.7% . Thirtyfour of our patients (52%) were female, 32 (48%) were male. When we look at the distribution of patients according to diagnosis, 23 patients had (34.8%) VSD. Pericardial fluid was transudate in 66.6% and chylous in 22.2% (two patients) in patients who underwent pericardiocentesis. Sandostatin was used for patients with chylous effusion. As a result, in our study, 14% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery have developed pericardial effusion. Ventricular septal defect was the most common diagnosis in patients developping pericardial effusion. Operation time, bypass time, and the type of congenital heart disease are found to be the factors increasing the development of postoperative pericardial effusion. Close follow-up in the first postoperative month and intermittent follow-up in the next three months is recommended. Key words: Postpericardiotomy syndrome, pericarditis, pericardial effusion, Cardiopulmonary Bypass