RACHS-1 — Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery
Six-category risk-adjustment system for in-hospital mortality after congenital cardiac surgery in children (Jenkins 2002). Higher category = higher mortality.
Score interpretation
→ Routine paediatric cardiac surgery pathway. Standard ICU monitoring.
→ PICU post-op with extended monitoring. Multidisciplinary planning. Echo on day 1 and pre-discharge.
→ Tertiary congenital cardiac centre with ECMO availability. Pre-op MDT, parental counselling. PICU bed and surgeon-anaesthetist availability before scheduling.
Interpretation bands for the RACHS-1. Apply clinical judgement and local guidance.
References
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
- Protamine Sulphate (Heparin Reversal) · Heparin Reversal / Cardiac Surgery
- Enalapril (Paediatric Heart Failure / Hypertension) · ACE Inhibitor (Paediatric Heart Failure / Hypertension)
- Aprotinin · Antifibrinolytic — Cardiac Surgery
- Protamine Sulphate · Heparin Antidote — Vascular / Cardiac Surgery
- Lidocaine IV (Cardiac Arrhythmia) · Antiarrhythmic
- Dobutamine (Acute HF / Stress Echo) · Inotrope / Acute Heart Failure
Decision support only — verify against a current formulary, NICE, or your local guideline before clinical use.