Predictors of oral feeding difficulty in cardiac surgical infants

The purpose of this study was to identify factors contributing to postoperative feeding difficulties in neonates following cardiac surgery. A retrospective cohort study used chart audit of 101 consecutive infants who underwent cardiac surgery. Ten variables were analyzed as possible predictors of po...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatric nursing 2003-07, Vol.29 (4), p.315-319
Main Authors: Einarson, Kathleen D, Arthur, Heather M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Babies
Body Weight
Cardiac Surgical Procedures
Care and treatment
Chi-Square Distribution
Congenital heart disease
Data Analysis
Feeding and Eating Disorders - etiology
Female
Health aspects
Hospitals
Humans
Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Infant, Newborn
Infants (Newborn)
Intubation, Intratracheal - adverse effects
Logistic Models
Male
Neonatal care
Nursing
Pediatric nursing
Postoperative Care
Predictive Value of Tests
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Surgery
Vocal Cords - injuries
Young Children
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to identify factors contributing to postoperative feeding difficulties in neonates following cardiac surgery. A retrospective cohort study used chart audit of 101 consecutive infants who underwent cardiac surgery. Ten variables were analyzed as possible predictors of postoperative feeding difficulties including: diagnosis, demographics, details of surgery, and postoperative course. At hospital discharge, 72 (71.3%) infants were orally feeding and 29 (28.7%) were not. Overall mean hospital length of stay was 17.73 (+ 16.40 days). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed vocal chord injury (odds ratio 11.80), length of postoperative intubation (odds ratio 1.10 per day), and weight at surgery (odds ratio 0.34) as independent predictors of failure to feed orally at discharge from hospital. Risk factors for feeding difficulties in the postcardiac surgery infant are vocal chord injury, prolonged intubation, and low weight at surgery. Early identification of neonates at risk for feeding difficulties may lead to development of strategies to reduce morbidity, improve patient care, and provide better resource utilization.
ISSN:0097-9805