Relationship between anaesthesia strategy and intracardiac hemodynamics during paediatric cardiac catheterisation.

Objectives: Describe the hemodynamic implications of anaesthetic choice among children with heart disease undergoing cardiac catheterisation.

Methods: Study 1 was a secondary analysis of data obtained during catheterisation-based hemodynamic assessment of infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome following Stage 1 palliation, randomised in the Single Ventricle Reconstruction trial. Measured and calculated hemodynamics including pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance indexed to body surface area (PVRi and SVRi respectively) and pulmonary/systemic blood flow (Qp/Qs) were analysed with respect to anaesthetic employed during catheterisation, classified as moderate sedation or general anaesthesia. Study 2 consisted of a single centre, prospective analysis of patients requiring percutaneous closure of a patent ductus arteriosus or endomyocardial biopsy after orthotopic heart transplant. Participants underwent hemodynamic assessment first using inhaled volatile anaesthesia (IA), and then transitioned to total intravenous anaesthesia, comparing hemodynamic measures with respect to anaesthetic approach.

Results: In Study 1, independent of shunt type, PVRi, and patient size, moderate sedation was associated with a greater than two-fold odds of a Qp/Qs >1 (OR 2.12, 95%CI 1.18-3.87, p = 0.013). In Study 2, while PVRi was similar, SVRi was significantly higher using total intravenous anaesthesia. Among the patent ductus arteriosus subgroup, Qp/Qs increased significantly with a total intravenous anaesthesia relative to IA (p = 0.003); additionally, among the orthotopic heart transplant subgroup, left ventricular end diastolic pressure increased following a transition to total intravenous anaesthesia (p = 0.002).

Conclusions: Analyses of hemodynamics during catheterisation support a significant impact of anaesthetic type on hemodynamic values including SVRi, left ventricular end diastolic pressure, and Qp/Qs. Anaesthesia choice and intraprocedural management of SVRi are important considerations when making clinical decisions based on hemodynamic data.