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Outcomes following neonatal cardiac surgery in a South African tertiary centre

Background: Neonatal Cardiac Surgery has developed significantly since its advent, with improved outcomes, survival, and physiological repair. Limited programs offer neonatal cardiac surgery in emerging economies. We report our experience with neonates undergoing cardiac surgery in our cardiac surge...

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Main Author: Du Toit, Derrik
Other Authors: Zühlke, Liesl
Format: Thesis
Language:English
English
Published: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health 2026
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access_status_str Open Access
author Du Toit, Derrik
author2 Zühlke, Liesl
author_browse Du Toit, Derrik
Zühlke, Liesl
author_facet Zühlke, Liesl
Du Toit, Derrik
author_sort Du Toit, Derrik
collection Thesis
description Background: Neonatal Cardiac Surgery has developed significantly since its advent, with improved outcomes, survival, and physiological repair. Limited programs offer neonatal cardiac surgery in emerging economies. We report our experience with neonates undergoing cardiac surgery in our cardiac surgery program. Methods: We performed a secondary data analysis on all neonates aged < 30 days undergoing congenital cardiac surgery from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2020, including outcomes up to 30-days post-surgery. Results: A total of 859 patients underwent cardiac surgery at our center, of these 81 (9.4%) were neonates. The proportion of neonates increased annually (8.7%, 9.6% and 10.2%). There were 49 (60%) males, and 32 (40%) had surgery in the second week of life. Fourteen (17%) were premature, four (5%) had a major chromosomal abnormality, five (6%) a major medical illness and eight (10%) a major non-cardiac structural anomaly. The RACHS categorization of surgery was predominantly RACHS 3; n = 28 (35%) and 4; n = 23 (29%). Hours in ICU were extensive; median 189 [IQR 114-286] as were hours of ventilation; median 95 [IQR 45-163]. Almost 60% (n=48) of procedures were complicated by sepsis, as defined in our database. The in-hospital mortality rate was 13% (n=13); the 30-day mortality rate was 19.8% (n=16). Conclusion: The proportion of neonates in our service increased over the period. Focused strategies to shorten prolonged ICU stay and decrease rates of bacterial sepsis in neonates are needed. A multi-disciplinary, collaborative heart-team approach is crucial for best outcomes.
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language English
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last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:12.136Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2026
publishDateRange 2026
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spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/43129 Outcomes following neonatal cardiac surgery in a South African tertiary centre Du Toit, Derrik Zühlke, Liesl Brooks, Andre Neonatal Cardiac Surgery cardiac surgery South Africa Child Health Background: Neonatal Cardiac Surgery has developed significantly since its advent, with improved outcomes, survival, and physiological repair. Limited programs offer neonatal cardiac surgery in emerging economies. We report our experience with neonates undergoing cardiac surgery in our cardiac surgery program. Methods: We performed a secondary data analysis on all neonates aged < 30 days undergoing congenital cardiac surgery from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2020, including outcomes up to 30-days post-surgery. Results: A total of 859 patients underwent cardiac surgery at our center, of these 81 (9.4%) were neonates. The proportion of neonates increased annually (8.7%, 9.6% and 10.2%). There were 49 (60%) males, and 32 (40%) had surgery in the second week of life. Fourteen (17%) were premature, four (5%) had a major chromosomal abnormality, five (6%) a major medical illness and eight (10%) a major non-cardiac structural anomaly. The RACHS categorization of surgery was predominantly RACHS 3; n = 28 (35%) and 4; n = 23 (29%). Hours in ICU were extensive; median 189 [IQR 114-286] as were hours of ventilation; median 95 [IQR 45-163]. Almost 60% (n=48) of procedures were complicated by sepsis, as defined in our database. The in-hospital mortality rate was 13% (n=13); the 30-day mortality rate was 19.8% (n=16). Conclusion: The proportion of neonates in our service increased over the period. Focused strategies to shorten prolonged ICU stay and decrease rates of bacterial sepsis in neonates are needed. A multi-disciplinary, collaborative heart-team approach is crucial for best outcomes. 2026-04-23T11:57:55Z 2026-04-23T11:57:55Z 2023 2026-04-23T07:30:51Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters Masters http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43129 en eng application/pdf Department of Paediatrics and Child Health Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Neonatal Cardiac Surgery
cardiac surgery
South Africa
Child Health
Du Toit, Derrik
Outcomes following neonatal cardiac surgery in a South African tertiary centre
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Outcomes following neonatal cardiac surgery in a South African tertiary centre
title_full Outcomes following neonatal cardiac surgery in a South African tertiary centre
title_fullStr Outcomes following neonatal cardiac surgery in a South African tertiary centre
title_full_unstemmed Outcomes following neonatal cardiac surgery in a South African tertiary centre
title_short Outcomes following neonatal cardiac surgery in a South African tertiary centre
title_sort outcomes following neonatal cardiac surgery in a south african tertiary centre
topic Neonatal Cardiac Surgery
cardiac surgery
South Africa
Child Health
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43129
work_keys_str_mv AT dutoitderrik outcomesfollowingneonatalcardiacsurgeryinasouthafricantertiarycentre