Cerebral protection should be achieved by normalizing BP, avoiding hyperglycemia and
avoidance of hyperthermia. There is a current study on whether hypothermia is helpful
in the pediatric patient. Hypothermia after arrest has been documented as beneficial in
neonates.
End tidal CO 2 should be documented and measured continuously, if possible.
If epinephrine is given endotracheally, and is given in an acidic carrier, the indicator may
turn yell. Esophageal intubation can turn the litmus paper yellow for a few breaths if
patient has carbonated beverages in the stomach. If there is no chest impressions and
only resure breaths are given ETCO 2 is O, since pulmonary blood flow is needed for
ETCD 2 to rise.
Outcomes from apneic arrest are worse than ventricular fibrillation arrest.
CONGENITAL CARDIAC MALFORMATIONS
This is a very brief introduction about congenital cardiac malformations,
focusing on the critical preoperative issues and the most common post-operative
problems.