ABSTRACT
Aim of the Work: To study the efficacy of early extubation either in the operative room [OR] or in the intensive care unit [ICU] within six hours postoperatively
Patients and Methods: Hundred consequetive cardiac patients admitted to cardiac surgery at the National Heart Institute [NHI] were included in the study to evaluate early tracheal extubaon in both the operative room [OR] and the intensive care unit [ICU]
Results: Fourty eight patients were extubated in the OR, 13 of them were reintubated in the ICU either due to unsatisfactory blood gases, low cardiac output or surgical bleeding necessitating transfer to the OR. There were other 48 patients who could be extubated within 6 hours in the ICU, 10 of them were reintubated. The remaining 6 patients showed delayed recovery due to liver affection and were extubated after 6 hours but within 24 hours from termination of surgery
Conclusion: Early tracheal extubation can be achieved without morbidity or mortality in the majority of adult cardiac surgery patients