The effect of a cardiac surgical recovery area on the timing of extubation.
The anesthetic and postoperative management of cardiac surgical patients was modified to achieve an early return to spontaneous ventilation. A total of 278 patients were studied to determine the effect of this change. Patients in group I (n = 198) were managed in a cardiac surgical recovery area according to the new policy. Group II (n = 80) was a comparable group of patients operated upon before this change. The median duration of postoperative ventilation was reduced from 5 hours in group II to 1 hour in group I, and the time to extubation was reduced from 7 hours to 2 hours, respectively. There were no major postoperative complications resulting from this change. The factors that influence the duration of postoperative ventilation are discussed.
Chong
J L
JL
Department of Anaesthesia, Oxford Heart Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, England.
Grebenik
C
C
Sinclair
M
M
Fisher
A
A
Pillai
R
R
Westaby
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011997:Recovery Room; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013997:Time Factors; D015300:Ventilator Weaning