[Use of oral sildenafil (Viagra) in pulmonary hypertension after cardiac pediatric surgery].

Pulmonary hypertension remains a major cause of morbidity after cardiac surgery, although inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) was shown to have clinical benefit. Some patients are dependent on iNO, increasing the length of hospital stay. The authors report a case of a girl, nine years old (17 kg), with mitral insufficiency, atrial septal defect and pulmonary hypertension (80% of systemic pressure). Following cardiac surgery, pulmonary hypertension persisted and iNO could not be withdrawn. Sildenafil was administered orally (1,5mg x kg(-1), every 4 h) at the 15th postoperative day and iNO could be withdrawn within 24h with clinical improvement.