1509 - Impact of Respiratory Viral Infection on Outcomes of Congenital Heart Repair Surgery

Background: Respiratory viral infections are common in the pediatric population and can range from mild to life-threatening. Given the risk factors that accompany these infections, some pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons in the United States avoid performing surgery for patients with congenital heart disease when there is a possibility of concurrent viral respiratory illness. Studies in this patient population have been limited either by small study populations, or a study focus that is too narrow. The impact of respiratory infections on patient outcomes based on previous literature is also unclear.

Methods: This retrospective chart review study aimed to compare outcomes after congenital heart repair surgery in patients with positive respiratory viral testing to those with negative testing over a five-year period, to determine if there are significant differences related to post-operative hospital course or morbidity.Patient Inclusion Flowchart


Results: This study included 120 patients, of whom 43 tested positive for respiratory viruses and 77 tested negative. Patients were additionally divided based on the presence or absence of symptoms of respiratory infection, with 79 patients demonstrating respiratory symptoms and 41 who did not. Results demonstrate that negative respiratory viral testing is associated with a significant increase in post-operative ICU LOS (p = 0.01), hospital LOS (p < 0.01), and duration of post-operative respiratory support (p < 0.01), compared to positive testing. Additionally, an absence of respiratory symptoms at the time of testing was associated with a significant increase in post-operative ICU LOS (p = 0.01) and hospital LOS (p < 0.01), compared to patients who were symptomatic.Outcomes by Positive vs. Negative FilmArray
Outcomes by Symptomatic vs. Asymptomatic


Conclusion: These results suggest that negative respiratory viral testing or lack of respiratory infectious symptoms should not be a reassuring factor in patients scheduled for repair of congenital heart disease, and positive testing does not appear to result in worse outcomes after surgery. Based on this data, we would recommend that respiratory viral testing should not be a routine component of preoperative planning for patients scheduled to undergo congenital heart repair surgery, which would reduce the burdens of unnecessary testing and delays in definitive heart repair.