Postoperative data
Morbidity: MAE was observed in 41 (23%) patients. Ten
patients (5%) needed unplanned reoperations, four (2%) needed CPR, 16
(9%) needed ECMO, two (1%) experienced neurological complications,
eight (5%) required the implantation of a permanent pacemaker, five
(2%) experienced ARF, and one (0.6%) experienced diaphragm paralysis.
The incidence of ARF was higher in the CA group and the difference
between the groups was found to be statistically significant
(P = 0.05). The incidence of delayed sternal closure was also
higher in the CA group (P < 0.001). The incidence of
wound complications was higher in the BHAS group (P = 0.03).
There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in
terms of total incidence of MAE, mechanical ventilation time, intensive
care, or hospital stay time (P = 0.65, 0.99, 0.46, and 0.34,
respectively) (Table 3). Recurrent nerve paralysis was observed higher
in the BHAS group (3% vs 0 p= 0.14). All of these patients had
unilateral paralysis. In none of our patients we observed oral feeding
problems at discharge.
Mortality: Mortality was observed in 21 (11%) patients,
13 (62%) of whom had undergone concomitant complex cardiac procedures
other than VSD repair. 3 (14%) patients had isolated arch
reconstruction , 5 (23%) had arch reconstruction and concomitant VSD
closure. Eight (38%) of them were single ventricle patients.
There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in
terms of mortality (P = 0.58). One (0.7%) patient with
single-ventricle physiology died 5 years after the operation.
Mid-term reoperation and reintervention: Follow-up data
were available on 145 patients (95%). The follow-up period of the BH
group was 2.3 ± 1.7 years. The follow-up period of the BH group was
4.8 ± 1.7 years. Balloon angioplasty was performed in five (2%)
patients and reoperation was performed in 11 (6%) patients due to
restenosis. There were no statistically significant differences between
the groups in terms of reoperation or reintervention rates
(P = 0.44 and 0.34, respectively) (Table 4). In terms of
reoperation and reintervention rates, we did not observe a statistically
significant difference between single ventricle and double ventricle
patients (P = 0.59 and 0.41, respectively).
Freedom from reintervention rate for 1 year and 8 years was 98% (Figure
3). Freedom from reoperation rates were 96% for 1 year and 93% for 8
years (Figure 4). There were no statistically significant differences
between the groups in terms of freedom from reoperation or
reintervention (P = 0.47 and 0.76, respectively) (Figures 3 and
4).