[The perioperative management of aortic coarctation in the neonatal period].

Clinical records of 30 neonates with aortic coarctation admitted to neonate ICU from January 1985 to June 1990 are reviewed. We analyzed perioperative data to search for adverse prognostic signs. Patients weights were 2,970 +/- 500 grams and gestational age 38.5 +/- 1.7 weeks. Mean age at admission was 10.5 +/- 10 and mean age of surgery 13 +/- 11 days. 70% had associated congenital heart defects. Surgical technique was patch angioplasty in 86% and subclavian flap in 14%. Early or late mortality among patients with isolated aortic coarctation was nonexistent, and it was 28.5% in patients with other congenital heart defects. 13% has postoperative hypertension and 3.3% recoarctation. Adverse prognosis signs were preoperative (associated congenital heart defects, especially ventricular septal defect and interrupted aortic arch, greater dose of catecholamines and mechanical ventilation), intraoperative (pulmonary artery banding), and postoperative (hypotension, cardiac failure, arrhythmia, oligoanuria, metabolic acidosis, greater need of mechanical ventilation, bleeding and thrombopenia). Date are compared with other neonatal series.