Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Review of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Setting

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Pediatric Cardiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Surgical intervention for congenital heart disease (CHD) can be complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH), which increases morbidity, mortality, and medical burden. Consequently, postoperative management of PH is an important clinical consideration to improve outcomes. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is a widely accepted standard of care for PH and has been studied in the context of cardiac surgery for CHD. However, large randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trials in pediatric patients are limited. This review will provide an overview of the clinical studies in this setting and will discuss general treatment considerations to facilitate a better understanding of the clinical use of iNO for PH after pediatric cardiac surgery.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adatia I, Beghetti M (2009) Immediate postoperative care. Cardiol Young 19(Suppl 1):23–27

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Atz AM, Wessel DL (1999) Sildenafil ameliorates effects of inhaled nitric oxide withdrawal. Anesthesiology 91:307–310

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bacha EA et al (2000) Management of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations after surgery for complex congenital heart disease. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 119:175–176

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Beghetti M et al (1995) Continuous low dose inhaled nitric oxide for treatment of severe pulmonary hypertension after cardiac surgery in paediatric patients. Br Heart J 73:65–68

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Beghetti M et al (1998) Decreased exhaled nitric oxide may be a marker of cardiopulmonary bypass-induced injury. Ann Thorac Surg 66:532–534

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Behrends M, Beiderlinden M, Peters J (2005) Combination of sildenafil and bosentan for nitric oxide withdrawal. Eur J Anaesthesiol 22:155–157

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Botha P et al (2007) Inhaled nitric oxide for modulation of ischemia-reperfusion injury in lung transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant 26:1199–1205

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Brown KL et al (2003) Risk factors for long intensive care unit stay after cardiopulmonary bypass in children. Crit Care Med 31:28–33

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Carmona MJ, Auler JO Jr (1998) Effects of inhaled nitric oxide on respiratory system mechanics, hemodynamics, and gas exchange after cardiac surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 12:157–161

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Costard-Jackle A, Fowler MB (1992) Influence of preoperative pulmonary artery pressure on mortality after heart transplantation: testing of potential reversibility of pulmonary hypertension with nitroprusside is useful in defining a high risk group. J Am Coll Cardiol 19:48–54

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Crosswhite P, Sun Z (2010) Nitric oxide, oxidative stress and inflammation in pulmonary arterial hypertension. J Hypertens 28:201–212

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Curran RD et al (1995) Inhaled nitric oxide for children with congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension. Ann Thorac Surg 60:1765–1771

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Daftari B, Alejos JC, Perens G (2010) Initial experience with sildenafil, bosentan, and nitric oxide for pediatric cardiomyopathy patients with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance before and after orthotopic heart transplantation. J Transplant 2010:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Davidson D et al (1999) Safety of withdrawing inhaled nitric oxide therapy in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. Pediatrics 104:231–236

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Day RW et al (2000) Randomized controlled study of inhaled nitric oxide after operation for congenital heart disease. Ann Thorac Surg 69:1907–1912

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. El Kebir D et al (2005) Effects of inhaled nitric oxide on inflammation and apoptosis after cardiopulmonary bypass. Chest 128:2910–2917

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Elahi MM et al (2009) Inspired nitric oxide and modulation of oxidative stress during cardiac surgery. Curr Drug Saf 4:188–198

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Fullerton DA et al (1996) Effective control of pulmonary vascular resistance with inhaled nitric oxide after cardiac operation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 111:753–762

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Gamillscheg A et al (1997) Inhaled nitric oxide in patients with critical pulmonary perfusion after Fontan-type procedures and bidirectional Glenn anastomosis. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 113:435–442

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Gianetti J et al (2004) Supplemental nitric oxide and its effect on myocardial injury and function in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 127:44–50

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Giglia TM, Humpl T (2010) Preoperative pulmonary hemodynamics and assessment of operability: Is there a pulmonary vascular resistance that precludes cardiac operation? Pediatr Crit Care Med 11:S57–S69

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Gladwin MT, Crawford JH, Patel RP (2004) The biochemistry of nitric oxide, nitrite, and hemoglobin: Role in blood flow regulation. Free Radic Biol Med 36:707–717

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Goldman AP et al (1996) Pharmacological control of pulmonary blood flow with inhaled nitric oxide after the fenestrated Fontan operation. Circulation 94:II44–II48

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Gothberg S, Edberg KE (2000) Inhaled nitric oxide to newborns and infants after congenital heart surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass: a dose-response study. Scand Cardiovasc J 34:154–158

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Hamon I et al (2010) Methaemoglobinaemia risk factors with inhaled nitric oxide therapy in newborn infants. Acta Paediatr 99:1467–1473

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Hawkins A, Tulloh R (2009) Treatment of pediatric pulmonary hypertension. Vasc Health Risk Manag 5:509–524

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Haydar A et al (1992) Inhaled nitric oxide for postoperative pulmonary hypertension in patients with congenital heart defects. Lancet 340:1545

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Hermon M et al (1999) Intravenous prostacyclin mitigates inhaled nitric oxide rebound effect: A case control study. Artif Organs 23:975–978

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Hermon MM et al (2003) Methemoglobin formation in children with congenital heart disease treated with inhaled nitric oxide after cardiac surgery. Intensive Care Med 29:447–452

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Heron M et al (2010) Annual summary of vital statistics: 2007. Pediatrics 125:4–15

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Hofer A et al (2002) Successful management of severe life-threatening hypoxemia due to pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. Anesthesiology 97:1313–1315

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Hoffman JI, Kaplan S (2002) The incidence of congenital heart disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 39:1890–1900

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Hopkins RA et al (1991) Pulmonary hypertensive crises following surgery for congenital heart defects in young children. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 5:628–634

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Hoskote A et al (2010) Acute right ventricular failure after pediatric cardiac transplant: predictors and long-term outcome in current era of transplantation medicine. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 139:146–153

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. INOmax [package insert] (2010) INO Therapeutics, Clinton, NJ

  36. Ivy DD et al (1998) Dipyridamole attenuates rebound pulmonary hypertension after inhaled nitric oxide withdrawal in postoperative congenital heart disease. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 115:875–882

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Journois D et al (1994) Inhaled nitric oxide as a therapy for pulmonary hypertension after operations for congenital heart defects. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 107:1129–1135

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Journois D et al (2005) Effects of inhaled nitric oxide administration on early postoperative mortality in patients operated for correction of atrioventricular canal defects. Chest 128:3537–3544

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Khambadkone S et al (2003) Basal pulmonary vascular resistance and nitric oxide responsiveness late after Fontan-type operation. Circulation 107:3204–3208

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Klinger JR (2007) The nitric oxide/cGMP signaling pathway in pulmonary hypertension. Clin Chest Med 28:143–167

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Kumar VH et al (2010) Exposure to supplemental oxygen and its effects on oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity in term newborn lambs. Pediatr Res 67:66–71

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Lang JD Jr et al (2007) Inhaled NO accelerates restoration of liver function in adults following orthotopic liver transplantation. J Clin Invest 117:2583–2591

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Lee JE, Hillier SC, Knoderer CA (2008) Use of sildenafil to facilitate weaning from inhaled nitric oxide in children with pulmonary hypertension following surgery for congenital heart disease. J Intensive Care Med 23:329–334

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Magazine HI et al (2000) Rebound from nitric oxide inhibition triggers enhanced monocyte activation and chemotaxis. J Immunol 165:102–107

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. McLaughlin VV et al (2009) ACCF/AHA 2009 expert consensus document on pulmonary hypertension: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation Task Force on expert consensus documents and the American Heart Association: developed in collaboration with the American College of Chest Physicians, American Thoracic Society, Inc., and the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. Circulation 119:2250–2294

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Meade MO et al (2003) A randomized trial of inhaled nitric oxide to prevent ischemia-reperfusion injury after lung transplantation. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 167:1483–1489

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Miller OI et al (1994) Very-low-dose inhaled nitric oxide: a selective pulmonary vasodilator after operations for congenital heart disease. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 108:487–494

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Miller OI et al (1995) Rebound pulmonary hypertension on withdrawal from inhaled nitric oxide. Lancet 346:51–52

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Miller OI et al (2000) Inhaled nitric oxide and prevention of pulmonary hypertension after congenital heart surgery: a randomised double-blind study. Lancet 356:1464–1469

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Morris K et al (2000) Comparison of hyperventilation and inhaled nitric oxide for pulmonary hypertension after repair of congenital heart disease. Crit Care Med 28:2974–2978

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Mychaskiw G, Sachdev V, Heath BJ (2001) Sildenafil (viagra) facilitates weaning of inhaled nitric oxide following placement of a biventricular-assist device. J Clin Anesth 13:218–220

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Namachivayam P et al (2006) Sildenafil prevents rebound pulmonary hypertension after withdrawal of nitric oxide in children. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 174:1042–1047

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Pagowska-Klimek I et al. (2011) Predictors of long intensive care unit stay following cardiac surgery in children. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 40: 179–184

    Google Scholar 

  54. Pearl JM et al (2002) Inhaled nitric oxide increases endothelin-1 levels: a potential cause of rebound pulmonary hypertension. Crit Care Med 30:89–93

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Radomski MW, Moncada S (1993) Regulation of vascular homeostasis by nitric oxide. Thromb Haemost 70:36–41

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Reiter CD et al (2002) Cell-free hemoglobin limits nitric oxide bioavailability in sickle-cell disease. Nat Med 8:1383–1389

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Rich GF et al (1993) Inhaled nitric oxide. Selective pulmonary vasodilation in cardiac surgical patients. Anesthesiology 78:1028–1035

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Rosenzweig EB, Widlitz AC, Barst RJ (2004) Pulmonary arterial hypertension in children. Pediatr Pulmonol 38:2–22

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Russell IA et al (1998) The effects of inhaled nitric oxide on postoperative pulmonary hypertension in infants and children undergoing surgical repair of congenital heart disease. Anesth Analg 87:46–51

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Sato H et al (1997) Basal nitric oxide expresses endogenous cardioprotection during reperfusion by inhibition of neutrophil-mediated damage after surgical revascularization. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 113:399–409

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Schulze-Neick I et al (2001) Pulmonary vascular resistance after cardiopulmonary bypass in infants: effect on postoperative recovery. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 121:1033–1039

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Shimpo H et al (1997) Inhaled low-dose nitric oxide for postoperative care in patients with congenital heart defects. Artif Organs 21:10–13

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Suesaowalak M, Cleary JP, Chang AC (2010) Advances in diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension in neonates and children with congenital heart disease. World J Pediatr 6:13–31

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Tang JR et al (2007) Early inhaled nitric oxide treatment decreases apoptosis of endothelial cells in neonatal rat lungs after vascular endothelial growth factor inhibition. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293:L1271–L1280

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Tulloh RM (2005) Congenital heart disease in relation to pulmonary hypertension in paediatric practice. Paediatr Respir Rev 6:174–180

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Turanlahti MI, Laitinen PO, Pesonen EJ (2000) Preoperative and postoperative response to inhaled nitric oxide. Scand Cardiovasc J 34:46–52

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Urcelay GE et al (2005) Nitric oxide in pulmonary arteriovenous malformations and Fontan procedure. Ann Thorac Surg 80:338–340

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Vinten-Johansen J et al (1999) Nitric oxide and the vascular endothelium in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Ann N Y Acad Sci 874:354–370

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Wessel DL et al (1993) Use of inhaled nitric oxide and acetylcholine in the evaluation of pulmonary hypertension and endothelial function after cardiopulmonary bypass. Circulation 88:2128–2138

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Yahagi N et al (1994) Inhaled nitric oxide for the postoperative management of Fontan-type operations. Ann Thorac Surg 57:1371–1373

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Yoshimura N et al (2005) Inhaled nitric oxide therapy after Fontan-type operations. Surg Today 35:31–35

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Zobel G et al (1998) Inhaled nitric oxide in infants and children after open heart surgery. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) 39:79–86

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Peloton Advantage, LLC, for providing editorial support for this article. This editorial support was funded by INO Therapeutics, LLC, a subsidiary of Ikaria, Inc. Editorial support for this article was provided by Peloton Advantage, LLC, and funded by INO Therapeutics, LLC, a subsidiary of Ikaria, Inc.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paul A. Checchia.

Appendix

Appendix

See Appendix Table 5.

Table 5 List of CHDs in studies of pediatric postoperative iNO use

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Checchia, P.A., Bronicki, R.A. & Goldstein, B. Review of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Setting. Pediatr Cardiol 33, 493–505 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-012-0172-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-012-0172-4

Keywords

Navigation