Osteopathy and Children With Congenital Heart Disease Surgery

The management of pain in children after cardiac surgery is the key to ensure a better comfort and fast home return.

Aside drugs and psychology or physical therapy, no other alternative is proposed in the medico-surgical unit of pediatric cardiology at the Necker hospital.

Following a feasibility study within the department, osteopathic care showed significant pain reduction in postoperative surgery assessed through the EVENDOL scale.

The goal was mainly to improve mobility restricted areas due to the operation, and so help to reduce post-operative pain.

Investigators propose to continue the assessment of the overall osteopathic taking care of the child after heart surgery while retaining EVENDOL scale as primary endpoint. Population will include children from the age of 5 days to less than 7 years old.

Inclusion criteria

• Children aged 5 days to 7 years old
• Congenital heart sternotomy or thoracotomy operated
• Postoperative management at the Necker hospital in Paris, followed by Professor Damien Bonnet team
• Agreeing to participate of one of the holders of parental authority
• Oral Agreement child age
• Minimal knowledge of French language by parents
• Covered by the French social security system

Exclusion criteria

• Heart disease treated by interventional catheterization
• Postoperative complications requiring more than three weeks of intensive care
• Participation in an other biomedical research protocol
• Refusal or linguistic or mental disabilities or parents of the child