Intraoperative Dexamethasone in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

Exclusion Criteria

• •absence of written informed consent signed by parent or guardian;
• •hypoplastic left heart syndrome;
• •participation in conflicting randomised studies;
• •emergency surgery;
• •inotropic support prior to surgery;
• •mechanical ventilation prior to surgery;
• •bacterial, viral or fungal infection in the preceding 30 days;
• •gestational age less that 37 weeks;
• •perinatal central nervous system damage.