Congenital Heart Surgery

The study aims to investigate the effect of using a multifunctional baby carrier with rocking, safe swaddling, and white noise features on physiological parameters, crying, and sleep status in infants aged 0-3 months who have undergone congenital heart surgery. It is planned to be conducted in a randomized controlled crossover design. Following congenital heart surgery, the use of sedative interventions in the high-stress environment of the intensive care unit has a significant effect on preserving the energy reserves necessary for the infant's growth and development. Using a sensitive and soothing mobile crib to assist in the postoperative care of infants who have undergone congenital heart surgery is a potential opportunity for the infant, nurse, and parent. The combined application of swaddling, sound, and movement reduces the baby's fussiness and has a calming effect on their physiological activation. Infants who underwent heart surgery between 0-3 months and were followed up in a multi-purpose baby carrier (swaddling, white noise, and rocking) compared to infants in the follow-up experimental group, compared to infants in the control group who were only swaddled; Hypothesis 1: The heart rate is lower. Hypothesis 2: Blood pressure is lower. Hypothesis 3: Oxygen saturation levels are higher. Hypothesis 4: Sleep durations are longer. Hypothesis 5: Pain scores are lower.

Patients younger than 18 scheduled for congenital heart surgery will be assessed during and post-operatively as well as at the first follow-up after 9-12 month for the novel biomarker sST2. We will assess the marker independently and in evaluation with other blood biomarkers to evaluate sings of heart failure. Compared to established biomarkers, sST2 promises thereby to be less variable to factors like age or acute kidney injury, rendering it potentially more reliable in the field of congenital cardiac surgery.