To retrospectively examine a cohort of neonates with CHD and measure the prevalence of neurologic complications such as seizures to further characterize these events at our medical center.

Electrographic seizures have been studied in neonatal congenital heart disease (CHD) because of their potential use as both an indicator of acute brain injury and as a surrogate marker for long-term neurodevelopmental outcome. In historical cohorts, the incidence of seizures has ranged from 14-20 percent with 85% of seizures being subclinical demonstrating the need for post operative seizure monitoring in neonates with CHD.

Retrospective, single-center study analyzing a cohort of 502 patients enrolled between Jan 2011 and Dec 2016.  

Neurologic complications were identified in 50 (9.9%) of the 502 neonates with CHD. Males 5.1%, females 4.7%. The most affected subtypes with neurological complications at discharge included Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome 16 (17%), Transposition of the Great Arteries 15 (15%) and Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return 5 (12%). Seizures were identified in 9/502 (1.7%) of the cohort.  Amongst those with reported seizures, 6/9 (66%) electrographic seizures were confirmed on EEG. EEG characteristics included: attenuation 3/9 (33%); Sharp transients 8 (88%), abnormal background 7/9 (77%).  Developmental Delay was found in 93 (28%) of CHD neonates without neurologic complications vs 17 (47%) of patient with neurologic complications.