Do intraoperative variables have an effect on the timing of tracheal extubation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether any intraoperative variable had a significant effect on extubation time after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Design: Study design was a retrospective study. Setting: Study took place in 1 cardiac center in the United Kingdom that had 1000 cases per year. Subjects: Eighty-nine patients had coronary artery bypass graft surgery in the first 6 months of 1998 performed by one consultant cardiac surgeon. Outcome Measures: Study measures included intraoperative variables (number of vessels grafted, time on cardiopulmonary bypass [CPB], length of the operation, use of internal mammary artery) and extubation time. Results: Mean extubation time was 4.97 hours. On analysis via linear regression no intraoperative variables were found to be statistically significant (P =.05) to extubation time. Conclusion: This study identified that early extubation can be achieved safely. Although no variable was found to have a significant effect on extubation time, the relationship between CPB and extubation may have been attributed to the low mean CPB time within the study (49.1 minutes). The relationship between cardiac status, ischemia ,and the timing of extubation does warrant additional exploration. (Heart Lung® 2002;31:432-9.)