Erythropoetin Neuroprotection for Neonatal Cardiac Surgery

Hypothesis: Erythropoetin (EPO) will protect the neonatal brain in the perioperative period for congenital heart surgery. Using a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded design, the specific aims of this study are: 1. To determine the effect of perioperative EPO on short and long term neurological outcomes in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery with an optimized cardiopulmonary bypass strategy. 2. To determine EPO tolerability and safety with short term administration. 3. To determine EPO pharmacokinetics in this population. 4. To determine the relationship of neurological monitoring, specifically NIRS, to neurological outcomes with an optimized cardiopulmonary bypass technique in neonates that avoids deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, and to determine if EPO affects this relationship. Protocol: Neonates undergoing arterial switch, Norwood, or aortic arch advancement/other complete 2 ventricle repair, \>35 weeks gestation and ≥2.0 kg are eligible. Preop day 1:NIRS for 12-24 hours, neuro exam, and Study drug dose #1: EPO 500 units/kg or saline placebo 12-72 hours before surgery. EPO Pharmacokinetic data for 25-50 consenting patients. Day of surgery: Brain MRI immediately preop. Anesthesia/CPB per our standard practice (fentanyl 100-200 mcg/kg, midazolam, isoflurane, epsilon-aminocaproic acid, 75 mg/kg IV load to patient and CPB prime, and 75 mg/kg/hr infusion in OR) with ACP guided by TCD, pH stat, hct 30-35, avoid DHCA. POD #1: Study drug dose #2: EPO 500 units/kg or saline placebo 24 hours after dose #2. For 72 hours postop, NIRS monitoring. All monitor data collected electronically. POD #3: Study drug dose #3: EPO 500 units/kg or saline placebo 48 hours after dose #3. 7 days postop: Brain MRI. (pentobarbital IV). Neuro exam before discharge. 3-6 months: Brain MRI immediately before or after 2nd surgery, or as outpatient (IV pentobarb or propofol/midazolam-may use N2O/sevo for induction, cannot intubate if outpatient; OR if cardiac MRI at same time, any indicated anesthetic technique). NIRS x 24h after 2nd surgery. 1,and 3 years: Bayley Scales of Infant Development III. 5 years: Battery of neurodevelopmental tests. Early primary outcome variable: MRI severity of injury score (decrease by 25%). Late outcome variable Bayley Scales of Infant Development score: improvement by 18% at age 1 years. Sample size: 60 patients: stratified into 3 groups to give power 0.85, alpha 0.05. Expect to accrue 2-4 patients per month.