ABSTRACT
The perioperative manifestations of neurologic injury in children with congenital heart disease may appear as seizures, delayed recovery of consciousness, focal infarcts, or movement disorders such as choreoathetosis. In contrast, the development of severe choreoathetosis in older children, carries a significantly worse prognosis. Pre-1985 patients were maintained at a significantly less alkalotic pH with less hypocarbia than either the persistent or comparison patients, and none of them developed choreoathetosis following deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. The incidence of choreoathetosis has been estimated between 1% and 12%. The concept of two different degrees of choreoathetosis, mild and severe, has been alluded to by several authors. Choreoathetosis continues to be reported regularly with no universally accepted single etiology. The electroencephalogram and Computed x-ray tomography scan were largely unhelpful. The electroencephalogram generally showed diffuse slowing.
