NEUROLOGICAL COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL CARDIAC SURGERY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Abstract

Objectives: The study was designed to ascertain the incidence of neurological complications in children following cardiac surgery for congenital heart defects (CHD). Methods: An extensive search was conducted using Medical Subject Headings in the Cochrane Controlled Trials databases, PubMed, and Embase in July 2023. Data extraction was done using a customized data extraction sheet, adhering to Cochrane’s standard methodological procedures. As the heterogeneity was high among the included studies, random-effect models were employed during the meta-analysis. Results: Seventeen articles were included in our analysis, encompassing a total sample size of 23,930 pediatric patients who underwent congenital cardiac surgeries. The calculated incidence of neurological complications following these procedures was found to be 0.21 (95% confidence interval: 0.14–0.28). A random-effects model employing the DerSimonian-Laird estimator was utilized for the meta-analysis. The assessment of heterogeneity revealed Tau of 0.134, an I2 value of 99.63%, and an H2 value of 267.078, indicating heterogeneity (p<0.001). Conclusion: The study highlights the substantial incidence of neurological complications following congenital cardiac surgery, with infants <1 year old being at a higher risk.