3. Frontier Lifeline Hospital , Chennai , India
Peri-operative Nutrition Supplementation in Congenital Heart Surgery- A clinical audit and plan for Quality Improvement
Frontier Lifeline Hospital , Chennai , India

4. Background Malnutrition- a major problem in developing countries
More prevalent among children with congenital heart diseases, particularly ones with Increased Pulmonary blood flow and Cardiac failure
Other contributing factors: Low birth weight, Anemia, Recurrent Infections

5. More than 30 per cent of children in Tamil Nadu aged under 5 years are underweight
More than 30 per cent of adolescent girls (15–19 years) and half of pregnant women (15-19 years) are anemic

6. Congenital Heart Disease is indeed a major cause of Neonatal and Infant Mortality
The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in Tamil Nadu is 22 deaths per 1000 live births
Almost three quarters of infant deaths in the state occur within 28 days of birth and 77 per cent of neonatal deaths occur within the first seven days of life (Early Neonatal Mortality) -

7. Among children undergoing Cardiac Surgery:
Neonates: 30 % are Low birth weight
Infants: 60 % are malnourished

8. Poor preoperative nutritional state -often exacerbated postoperatively by the metabolic response – altered energy demands, a complex inflammatory state, and protein catabolism
Greater risk for developing infection and poor wound healing
All these can have impact on post operative outcomes.

9. Factors affecting Postop Nutrition
Increased metabolic demands
Inefficient nutrient absorption
Postsurgical fluid restriction
oropharyngeal dysfunction
Frequent interruptions of enteral feeding for procedures

10. Finding a balance of appropriate nutritional intake to cover metabolic demands in infants and young children postoperatively remains a frequent challenge
So our aim was to conduct an audit on the efficiency of our nutrition protocols to meet the necessary demands.

11. Objectives of the audit
To review our Peri-operative nutrition protocols , and to assess how they meet the demands
To assess the extent of documentation in case records, so that outcomes could be measured
To propose modifications in protocols and ensure adequate documentation
To implement the protocols and re audit at the end of 6 months

12. Methods
A retrospective chart review of patients admitted postoperatively to the intensive care unit at Frontier Lifeline Hospital
30 case records of children < 24 months of age were reviewed

13. The following variables were obtained:
Age, gender, admission weight, and length of admission.
Weights were recorded at the time of admission (pre op ) and at discharge from the hospital when available.

14. Medical records were reviewed for the following data
All forms of dextrose-containing intravenous fluids, enteral nutritional intake received in the ICU
Nutritional support data obtained included postoperative day that enteral or parenteral nutrition was initiated,and quantity of nutrition
As the study focused on patients younger infants, majority of oral intake was in the form of breast milk, infant and pediatric formulas

15. The patient’s daily energy and protein intake was calculated until discharge from ICU
To determine caloric requirements, a stress factor of 1.5 was added
The total caloric and protein requirements met with each day was calculated

16. Dietary Protocol
Calculations based on standard formula (National Institute of Nutrition , Hyderabad , India )
Stress factor of 0.5 was added
Early enteric feeding always preferred
Concentration of feed : cals / ml

17. Results: Total no. of patients reviewed: 30 Males: 21 Females: 9
Age distribution:
Neonates- 4
1mo – 1 year - 23
> 1 year - 3

18. Pre op Malnutrition Weight for age < 50 Th centile: 26/30(80%)
Height for age < 50 th centile: 21/30 ( 67 %)
Weight for Height < 50 th centile -21/30 (67 %)
Reference: Indian Academy of Pediatrics Growth Charts

19. Median ICU stay for malnourished children: 66 hours

20. 0-30 days

21. 1mo-1 year

22. >1 year

23. Observations
2/3 subjects had Pre op Chronic and Acute on Chronic Malnutrition
Nearly 80 % had acute malnutrition pre op

24. Observations
Maximum amount of calorie and protein needs met during ICU stay has been upto % of estimated needs
There has been a constant step up day by day in meeting the needs

25. The nutritional needs are upto 60 % in spite of adding a stress factor to calculate needs
Inability to deliver required amounts is due to:
1Fluid restriction
2. Feed withdrawal due to various reasons
3. Feed Intolerance due to gut edema etc.

26. Observation on Documentation
Many charts had missing data on feed administration and reason for withdrawal
Daily weight recording in ICU and discharge from ICU absent in many charts

27. Prolonged ICU stays
We have not reviewed patients with prolonged ICU stay , beyond 7 days
Need for Total Parenteral /Enteral nutrition/ supplements of multi vitamins and minerals need to be looked into.

28. Recommendations
ASPEN –American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition guidelines

29. Nutritional support guidelines in critically ill child
1 A- Children admitted with critical illness should undergo nutrition screening to identify those with existing malnutrition and those at risk.
A formal nutritional assessment with development of nutrition care plan esp in children with premorbid malnutrition.
Energy expenditure should be assessed throughout the course of illness to determine the energy needs of critically ill children.

30. Malnutrition or metabolic alterations- accurate measurement of energy expenditure using indirect calorimetry or normograms.
Insufficient data to make evidence based recommendations for macro nutrition intake in critically ill children.

31. Functioning GIT, enteral nutrition (EN) should be the preferred mode of nutrition.
Prevent avoidable interruptions to EN
Routine use of immunonutrition or immune enhancing diets –NOT recommended.
Specialised nutrition support group with appropriate protocols

34. From our protocols and audit
A reasonable dietary plan has been made
Have achieved upto % of requirements, comparable to major studies
Certain shortcomings in documentation.

35. Recommendations in the proposed project
Better Pre op Nutritional assessment including Serum Albumin level if possible
Pre op nutritional supplementation wherever possible
Daily weight recording in ICU and until discharge

36. Better documentation of Enteral feeding
Correlation of nutritional status with ICU stay, hospital outcomes

37. A prospective collection of data regarding nutritional supplementation to be done for 6 months
A re audit and study at the end of 6 months to assess outcomes
To propose a standard protocol of perioperative Nutrition which can be used across various units as a part of the IQIC

38. Acknowledgements
Department of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
Department of Dietetics
Physician Assistants

39. Thank you