Effects of Perioperative Nesiritide or Milrinone Infusion on Recovery From Fontan Surgery

Impact of Empiric Nesiritide or Milrinone Infusion on Early Postoperative Recovery Following Fontan Surgery: a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial

The staged surgical pathway to treat children with single ventricle heart defects culminates with the Fontan operation. In this procedure, systemic venous return is rerouted directly to the pulmonary arteries, which serves to separate the systemic and pulmonary circulations. Although mortality following the Fontan operation is now uncommon, early postoperative morbidity including prolonged postoperative chest tube drainage and hospitalization remains significant. The efficacy of empiric inotropic, vasodilator and neurohumoral-inhibitory therapies in the perioperative period is unknown and practice varies widely between centers. The investigators will propose a single-center, randomized, double-blind, phase II clinical trial in children undergoing Fontan surgery. The investigators plan to compare the effects of perioperative nesiritide, milrinone and placebo infusions on the early postoperative clinical course and neurohumoral profile. The investigators hypothesize that, when compared to the milrinone and placebo groups, the nesiritide group will have more days alive and out of the hospital within the first 30 days after surgery.

The staged surgical pathway to treat children with single ventricle heart defects culminates with the Fontan operation. In this procedure, systemic venous return is rerouted directly to the pulmonary arteries, which serves to separate the systemic and pulmonary circulations. Following this operation, deoxygenated blood flows passively from the body through the lungs without a pumping chamber. Although mortality following the Fontan operation is now uncommon, early postoperative morbidity including prolonged postoperative chest tube drainage and hospitalization remains significant. The efficacy of empiric inotropic, vasodilator and neurohumoral-inhibitory therapies in the perioperative period is unknown and practice varies widely between centers. We propose a single-center, randomized, double-blind, phase II clinical trial in children undergoing Fontan surgery. We plan to compare the effects of perioperative nesiritide, milrinone and placebo infusions on the early postoperative clinical course and neurohumoral profile. The primary aim of the study is to determine whether nesiritide, milrinone or placebo infusion is associated with fewer days alive and out of the hospital within 30 days of surgery. We hypothesize that, when compared to the milrinone and placebo groups, the nesiritide group will have more days alive and out of the hospital within the first 30 days after surgery. Secondary aims are to determine the effects of these infusions on postoperative resource consumption, hemodynamics, arrhythmias, renal function, neurohumoral activation and adverse events. Thirty-nine patients per group (117 total patients) will be enrolled over three years.

Fontan Operation, Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Heart Defects, Congenital, Milrinone, Natriuretic peptide, brain

Patients assigned to the nesiritide group will receive an intravenous loading dose of 2 mcg/kg followed by an infusion of 0.015 mcg/kg/min, administered for at least 12 hours after CICU admission and up to five days unless prespecified lack of efficacy criteria are met.

Patients assigned to the milrinone group will receive a bolus of 50 mcg/kg followed by an infusion of 0.5 mcg/kg/min, administered for at least 12 hours after CICU admission and up to five days unless prespecified lack of efficacy criteria are met.

Patients assigned to the placebo group will receive a 0.33 mL/kg bolus of 5% dextrose in water (D5W), followed by an infusion of D5W, administered for at least 12 hours after CICU admission and up to five days, unless prespecified lack of efficacy criteria are met.

Peak Inotrope Score = Doses of dopamine in mcg/kg/minute + dobutamine in mcg/kg/minute + (epinephrine in mcg/kg/minute x 100). The lowest (best) possible Peak Inotrope Score = 0 dose equivalents. There is no maximum Peak Inotrope Score.

From Fontan operation until initial discharge from the CICU, assessed during the postoperative hospitalization, up to 90 days.

From Fontan operation until final chest tube removed, assessed during postoperative hospitalization, up to 90 days.

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels measured at preoperative baseline and postoperative CICU hour 1, 8, 24.

Inclusion Criteria: Patients undergoing an elective, primary Fontan operation at Children's Hospital Boston. Exclusion Criteria: Revision surgery for failing Fontan circulation. Preoperative serum creatinine > 1.5 mg/dL or chronic dialysis. The attending surgeon, cardiac anesthesiologist, or cardiac intensivist has a compelling indication to initiate either nesiritide or milrinone outside of the confines of the study.

Costello JM, Dunbar-Masterson C, Allan CK, Gauvreau K, Newburger JW, McGowan FX Jr, Wessel DL, Mayer JE Jr, Salvin JW, Dionne RE, Laussen PC. Impact of empiric nesiritide or milrinone infusion on early postoperative recovery after Fontan surgery: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Circ Heart Fail. 2014 Jul;7(4):596-604. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.113.001312. Epub 2014 Jun 6.