Effect of Magnesium Sulphate Infusion on Oxygenation Index in Pediatric Patients with Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Open Cardiac Procedures

Background: Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4) has the potential of improving oxygenation index in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease through its dilating effect on both the pulmonary vasculature and bronchial tree.Methodology: We tested this hypothesis by infusing Magnesium sulphate all through the corrective surgical procedure and measuring mean airway pressure, arterial oxygen tension and calculation of oxygenation index and alveolar arterial oxygen difference while comparing its effect with Nitroglycerine infusion.Results: Magnesium sulphate infusion caused statistically significant difference in oxygenation index when comparing baseline, before CPB and after CPB readings in the magnesium group being; (2.9±0.9), (2.7±0.9), and (3.1±1.4), this difference cannot be detected in the control group readings being; (3.5± 1.6), (3.5±1), and (4.4±2.6) respectively. However alveolar arterial oxygen difference readings showed no statistically significant difference neither in the baseline readings, nor in before CPB or after CPB readings when compared to baseline readings nor to the corresponding readings in both groups.Conclusion: Magnesium sulphate is a drug that could produce an initial improvement in oxygenation index and attinuate the multifactorial effect of open heart procedure on it.