Ultra-Fast-Track Extubation Experience in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The efficacy and safety of early extubation after pediatric congenital heart surgery was evaluated. METHODS: Thirty-two patients who underwent pediatric cardiac surgery between 2014 and 2015 were included in the study. Diagnosis of the patients: atrial septal defect (eight patients), ventricular septal defect (seven patients), Fontan procedure (four patients), cavapulmonary anastomosis (six patients), Fallot tetralogy (four patients), abnormal left coronary artery originating from pulmonary artery (two patients), and dual outlet right ventricle was one patient. The duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, cross clamp, extubation, reintubation, and intensive care unit stay of the patients was recorded. RESULTS: The patients were extubated in the operating room (ultra-fast-track extubation) after surgery. One patient required reintubation after 2 h. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In ultra-fast-track extubation approaches for pediatric cardiac surgery patients, careful pre-operative evaluation, perioperative management, and patient selection together with the characteristics of the cases are very important. In our study, it was observed that early extubation could be performed safely.

Keywords

• extubation
• fast-track
• pediatric cardiac surgery.