Authors

• Saud Abdulaziz Bahaidarah, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaFollow
• Jowana Mahmoud Aljinaid, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Amal Ahmad Alzahrani, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Jana Mohammad Banjer, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Lujain Abdulsalam Kofiyah, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Nesmah Amin Noaman, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Rahaf Adel Badkook, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Raghad Abdulaziz Aljabri, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Raghad Saeed Alghamdi, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Renad Mohammed Alamoudi, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Sarah Salem Bawazir, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Gaser Abdelmohsen Abdelmohsen, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Determinants of Early Mortality After Congenital Heart Surgery: A 7-Year Single-Center Experience in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives:

To determine predictors of early mortality among pediatric patients undergoing congenital heart surgery at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study included 955 pediatric patients who underwent congenital heart surgery at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, between January 2017 and December 2023. Demographic, clinical, operative, and postoperative variables were collected.

Results:

Overall mortality was 4.9%. Mortality was higher among neonates and infants and among patients with RACHS categories 4–6. Non-survivors had longer cardiopulmonary bypass times and more frequent delayed chest closure. Postoperative complications, including the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), depressed cardiac function, acute kidney injury, central nervous system (CNS) insult, infection, and prolonged mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) stay, were strongly associated with mortality. In multivariate analysis, independent predictors of mortality were prolonged ICU stay, longer postoperative mechanical ventilation, postoperative ECMO support, and postoperative CNS insult.

Conclusion:

Early mortality was comparable to international benchmarks. Postoperative physiological deterioration, particularly ECMO requirement, neurological injury, prolonged ventilation, and extended ICU stay, was independently associated with death, underscoring the importance of early detection and targeted perioperative management.

Recommended Citation

Bahaidarah, Saud Abdulaziz; Aljinaid, Jowana Mahmoud; Alzahrani, Amal Ahmad; Banjer, Jana Mohammad; Kofiyah, Lujain Abdulsalam; Noaman, Nesmah Amin; Badkook, Rahaf Adel; Aljabri, Raghad Abdulaziz; Alghamdi, Raghad Saeed; Alamoudi, Renad Mohammed; Bawazir, Sarah Salem; and Abdelmohsen, Gaser Abdelmohsen (2026) "Determinants of Early Mortality After Congenital Heart Surgery: A 7-Year Single-Center Experience in Saudi Arabia," Journal of the Saudi Heart Association: Vol. 38 : Iss. 2 , Article 15.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.37616/2212-5043.1506

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