Our Anesthesia Experience in Catheterization and Angiography Procedures in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory in Pediatric Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: Single Center 360 Cases

Objective:Pediatric cardiac catheterization and angiography are two of the methods used in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with congenital heart disease. Anesthesia approaches in these patients are special and come with many anesthetic challenges. In this framework, the objective of this study is to evaluate our anesthesia experience and complications in catheterization procedures performed in the pediatric angiography laboratory.Method:This study was conducted with patients who underwent diagnostic or interventional catheterization in the pediatric angiography laboratory, between August 1st, 2020, and December 31st, 2021. Demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients, including their cardiac diagnosis, gender, weight, procedural characteristics, and anesthesia management principles employed during the procedure and complications, were evaluated.Results:A total of 390 procedures were applied to 360 patients during the period covered by the study. The median age and weight of these patients were three months [interquartile range (IQR) 20 days-7 years)] and 7 kg (IQR 3.4-24), respectively. Of these patients, 51% were male, and 49% were female. Of the 390 procedures, 134 were performed diagnostically, and 256 were performed invasively. The median duration of the procedure was 35 minutes (IQR 25-60). The catheterization procedure was performed under general anesthesia in 33% of the cases. A total of 52 (13.3%) complications were observed during the procedures. During the anesthesia management, hypotension was observed in 17 patients, desaturation in 10 patients, and rhythm disturbances in 7 patients. Two patients needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support during the procedure. Four patients had to be operated on urgently. No patient was lost due to the procedure.Conclusion:Anesthesia management is characteristic during the catheterization procedure in pediatric cases with congenital heart disease. A case-specific anesthesia approach should be preferred, taking into account factors such as the type of cardiac pathology, hemodynamic characteristics, and type of procedure.