Review of Echocardiographic reports of children undergoing noncardiac surgery in a tertiary health center in Nigeria

Background: The risk of cardiac anomalies, both acquired and congenital, is high in children undergoing noncardiac surgeries. These cardiac anomalies are associated with increased risk of perioperative complications. Objectives: This study, therefore, determined the common indications as well as the echocardiographic findings findings in children undergoing noncardiac surgery in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study. The echocardiographic records of 25 children that underwent noncardiac surgery in AKTH over a 4 year period (from January 2015 to December 2018) were retrieved. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and the result was displayed using a frequency distribution table and bar chart. Results: There were 14 males and 11 females, with male to female ratio of 1.3:1. The ages of the patients range from 5 days to 8 years (median age of 8 months). The most common indication for echocardiography is orofacial cleft (cleft lip and/or palate), followed by adenotonsillar hypertrophy. The overall cardiac anomaly was found in 28% of the patients, with the highest anomaly being the atrial septal defect. Conclusion: The prevalence of cardiac anomaly was high in children with noncardiac surgical conditions.