Kognitive und motorische Leistungsfähigkeit und Verhalten bei Kindern nach Herz-Lungen-Maschinen-Operation im Neugeborenenalter

BACKGROUND: Empirical results about the cognitive, motor and psychic development in patients with d-transposition of the great arteries after arterial switch operation remain unclear. Potential reasons are the patients' initial status, improved perinatal care or the quality of surgery. To exclude quality of surgery as the main reason, only children, who were operated by the same surgeon, were included in this study. PATIENTS: Thirty children operated as neonates were examined at the age of 4.3 to 12.5 years. METHOD: The Kaufman-Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) was administered to assess general intelligence and acquired abilities, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC) to assess gross and fine motor function and the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL/4-18) to assess behaviour problems. RESULTS: General intelligence was significantly lower than the population means, whereas the acquired abilities were within the normal range. Motor function also was below average. Parents reported significantly more behaviour problems in patients compared to the normal population. Risk factors for lower general intelligence were the duration of the operation and postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: The arterial switch operation performed during the neonatal period is associated with lower general intelligence, motor impairment and behaviour problems. Careful assessment of neurodevelopmental outcome for the detection of developmental delays and early initiation of interventions seem to be necessary.