Objective This study aimed to describe the first two cases of electrical cardiometry applied to newborn with hypoplastic left heart syndrome for hemodynamical assessment in the first days of life before surgical correction and see if this can help decision making process in these patients.
Study Design We describe two case series of two full-term newborn with hypoplastic left heart syndrome in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, between December 2019 and January 2020.
Results Case 1 was persistently hemodynamically stable with prostaglandin E1 infusion at 0.01 mcg/kg/min, showing good capillary refill time, good diuresis, no difference between pre- and postductal values of oxygen saturation or blood pressure. Electrical cardiometry monitoring constantly showed cardiac output values higher than 300 mL/kg/min. Case 2 showed poor clinical condition needing prostaglandin E1 infusion up to 0.05 mcg/kg/min, intubation and septostomy associated with low cardiac output around 190 mL/kg/min. Once cardiac output has begun to rise and reached values constantly over 300 mL/kg/min, clinical condition improved with amelioration in oxygen saturation, diuresis, blood pressure, and blood gas analysis values. She was then extubated and finally clinically stable until surgery with minimal infusion of prostaglandin E1 at 0.01 mcg/kg/min.
Conclusion This case highlights how hemodynamic information provided by electrical cardiometry can be used to supplement the combined data from all monitors and the clinical situation to guide therapy in these newborns waiting surgery.
Key Points
Pressure–volume loop-derived cardiac indices during dobutamine stress: a step towards understanding limitations in cardiac output in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome
