Abstract:

Objective: To determine the frequency of various complications encountered during cardiac catheterization angiography in patients with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Paediatric Cardiology Department and Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Armed Forced Institute of Cardiology & National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi, from Jan 2017 to Dec 2018. Material and Methods: All consecutive patients with Tetralogy of Fallot; undergoing cardiac catheterization angiography were included in the study. TOF diagnosis was made by 2D echocardiography (2D echo) done be paediatric cardiologist. Light sedation/ general anesthesia were given for the procedure after getting fitness for general anesthesia from cardiac anesthetist. Patients were admitted in the ward and any complications observed were documented. The complications were addressed and the patients were discharged once stable. All the data was entered and analyzed using SPSS-21. Results: Total number of patients included in the study were 301, out of them male patients were 168 (55.8%) and 133 (44.1%) were female patients. Mean age of patients were 3.2 ± 1.8 (Mean ± SD). The most common venous access was right femoral vein in 290 (96.3%). 208 (59.1%) procedures were done under general anesthesia while 93 (30.9%) were done under local anesthesia. The most common complications observed were transient lower limb pulse loss needed IV Haparinoccurring in 13 (4.3%) of the patients, followed by cyanotic spell in 6 (2.0%) patients and transient pulse loss needed no heparin in 2 (0.7%) patients. All patients recovered without need of surgery. No complication of catheterization angiography was observed in 277 (92.0%) patients. Conclusion: Though catheterization angiography for TOF patients is a safe procedure in the hand of an experienced cardiologist but some complications do occur. The most common complications observed in our patients were transient lower limb pulse loss and cyanotic spell.

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