Does Inhaled Milrinone Facilitate Weaning From Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Children with Congenital Heart Diseases Complicated with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of inhaled milrinone in controlling pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in paediatric cardiac surgery and its effect on weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: A total of 40 patients with congenital heart diseases complicated by PAH submitted to cardiac surgery requiring CPB were included in the present study and were randomly classified into the control group (n=20) who received intravenous milrinone 0.5 μg kg(−1) min(−1) and the inhaled group (n=20) who received inhaled milrinone 50 μg kg(−1) before initiation and just before weaning off CPB. Mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), mean systemic arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), MAP/mPAP ratio, vasoactive drug requirements and time needed to wean the patients from CPB were collected. RESULTS: mPAP and HR were significantly lower, and MAP and MAP/mPAP ratio were significantly higher in the inhaled group than in the control group. Vasoactive drug requirements were significantly lesser, and the time needed to wean the patients was significantly shorter in the inhaled group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Milrinone inhalation facilitated the weaning from CPB as it significantly reduced mPAP and maintained MAP with subsequently less needs for vasoactive drugs.