Benneyworth, Brian D.Shao, Jenny M.Cristea, A. IoanaAckerman, VedaRodefeld, Mark D.Turrentine, Mark W.Brown, John W.2016-06-082016-06-082016-05Benneyworth, B. D., Shao, J. M., Cristea, A. I., Ackerman, V., Rodefeld, M. D., Turrentine, M. W., & Brown, J. W. (2016). Tracheostomy Following Surgery for Congenital Heart Disease A 14-year Institutional Experience. World Journal for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, 7(3), 360-366. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2150135116644432https://hdl.handle.net/1805/9842Background: Tracheostomy following congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery is a rare event and associated with significant mortality. Hospital survival has been reported from 20% to 40%. Late mortality for these patients is not well characterized. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study of patients who had a tracheostomy following CHD surgery (excluding isolated patent ductus arteriosus ligation) between January 2000 and December 2013. Patients were categorized into single-ventricle or biventricular physiology groups. Demographics, genetic syndromes, pulmonary disease, and comorbidities were collected. Outcomes including hospital survival, long-term survival, and weaning from positive pressure ventilation are reported. Bivariate and time-to-event models were used. Results: Over a 14-year period, 61 children (0.9% incidence) had a tracheostomy placed following CHD surgery. There were 12 single-ventricle patients and 49 biventricular patients. Prematurity, genetic syndromes, lung/airway disease, and other comorbidities were common in both CHD groups. Gastrostomy tubes were used more frequently in biventricular physiology patients (91.8%) versus single-ventricle patients (66.7%, P = .04). Survival to hospital discharge was 50% in the single-ventricle group compared to 86% in biventricular patients (P = .01). Long-term survival continued to be poor in the single-ventricle group comparatively (three years, 27.8% vs 64.8%, P = .01). Gastrostomy tube placement was independently associated with survival in both groups (P = .002). Conclusion: Tracheostomy is performed following many types of surgery for CHD and is commonly associated with other comorbidities. Both hospital and long-term survival are substantially lower in children with single-ventricle physiology as compared to patients with biventricular physiology.enPublisher Policycongenital heart diseasetracheostomyoutcomesArticle