In Hospital Outcome Of Children Referred For Cardiac Surgery Abroad From A Developing Country

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cardiac surgery is the definitive intervention for structural heart diseases particularly of congenital aetiology in children. Unfortunately, most developing countries currently lack adequate capacity for pediatric cardiac surgery often necessitating referral to foreign countries with appropriate facilities and capacities. We hereby report the in-hospital outcome of Nigerian children referred from Lagos University Teaching Hospital to undergo cardiac surgery abroad.

METHODS: Nigerian children referred from the Lagos University Hospital, Lagos State, to centres abroad for cardiac surgery were reviewed. Data obtained from records for analysis were sex, pre-surgical diagnosis, age at surgery, year surgery was performed, surgical centre location, post-operative echocardiography report,length of hospital stay and in-hospital case fatality.