The Effects of Cardiopulmonary Bypass on Infant Vaccination Titers

Purpose: Infants with congenital heart disease that require surgery in the first year of life remain vulnerable to potentially preventable pathogens. While childhood immunization can significantly reduce this risk, it is unknown how cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) affects infant';s vaccination status - especially in the setting of an immature immune system. Consequently, significant variation in vaccination policies exist among major surgical centers surrounding children expected to undergo cardiac surgery with CPB. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of CPB on …