Routine immediate extubation after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery: 514 consecutive patients.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of routine immediate extubation in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.


METHODS
Case series.


METHODS
Private hospital.


METHODS
Five hundred forty-eight consecutive patients undergoing off-pump coronary bypass surgery, representing 5 years of a single anesthesiologist's practice, were evaluated for routine immediate extubation. Thirty-four patients were excluded because they were already intubated, in preoperative cardiogenic shock, or converted to on-pump during the procedure.


METHODS
Patients received general anesthesia or general anesthesia plus thoracic epidural analgesia (25%) and underwent off-pump coronary bypass surgery.


RESULTS
All 514 patients who were intended to be immediately extubated were expeditiously extubated in the operating room. The numbers of reintubations, morbidity, and mortality were low.


CONCLUSIONS
Routine immediate extubation of most off-pump coronary artery bypass patients appears feasible and most probably safe.
Horswell
Jeffrey L
JL
Cardiopulmonary Research Science and Technology Institute, Dallas, TX 75230, USA. horswell@swbell.net
Herbert
Morley A
MA
Prince
Syma L
SL
Mack
Michael J
MJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D047549:Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors