^{Objective: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common and lethal form of hospital-acquired pneumonia. It is to determine the risk factors of VAP after the pediatric cardiac operation and provide the evidence how to prevent it.
Methods: Between January 2007 and December 2007, 283 patients with congenital heart disease underwent mechanical ventilation more than 48 hours after pediatric cardiac operation in a heart center. There were two groups. One with VAP, the other without VAP (Table 1) .Gender, weight, prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass, delayed sternal closure, reintubation, the ways of the artificial, chest physical therapy, heads up, nutrition, ways of feeding, mouth care and surgery-related complications were analyzed between the two groups.
Results: The LOGISTIC regression showed that prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass, delayed sternal closure and reintubation were associated with increased incidence of VAP. Intra-enteral nutrition and heads up were associated decreased incidence of VAP (Table 2).
Conclusion: Based on this study, it showed that intra-enteral nutrition and heads up which we recommend following pediatric cardiac, especially in patients with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass, delayed sternal closure or reintubation, VAP raises the cost of care and increases patient-care time, hospital length of stay, and patient morbidity, Progressive nursing care should be taken to prevent the VAP, therefore to decrease the in stay and the cost of therapy. The burden of parents then can be decreased and the quality of health care would be raised in the end.}