Of 441 pediatric patients recovering from surgical repair of congenital heart disease, 372 (84%) were extubated in the operating room immediately after the procedure, using a clinical criteria, cutaneous pO2 saturation and pCO2 in exchanged air. Postoperative complications were not correlated with the procedure, and less pulmonary complications were observed. We concluded that most of pediatric patients, including many of those with complex lesions and preoperative pulmonary hipertension, can safely be extubated early cardiac surgery with minimization of pulmonary complications secondary to mechanical ventilation as well as reduced length of ICU and hospitalary stay, minimizing children and parents stress and hospitalary cost.
pediatric cardiac surgery