Longer time to extubation after general anesthesia with desflurane in patients with obstructive respiratory...

The prospect of patients with obstructive respiratory dysfunction undergoing surgery has increased with the growth in the elderly population; however, there have been few investigations about the recovery profile from volatile anesthesia. This study aimed to investigate the impact of obstructive respiratory dysfunction on recovery from desflurane anesthesia.

A retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent orthopedic lower limb surgery between September 2018 and March 2020. Patients were divided into two groups: those whose preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity ratio was <70% (obstructive respiratory dysfunction group, n = 180) or ≥70% (control group, n = 45). Time from discontinuation of desflurane to extubation (extubation time) was compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression models were used to compare odds ratios for prolonged extubation (≥10 min).

A total of 45 patients with obstructive respiratory dysfunction and 180 control patients were eligible for analysis. Extubation time was significantly longer in patients in the obstructive respiratory dysfunction group than those in the control group. In the multivariable Cox model, male sex (HR = 2.00, 95% CI 1.12-3.57; P = 0.020) and obstructive respiratory dysfunction (HR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.05-4.08; P = 0.036) were associated with prolonged extubation.

This retrospective study indicated that extubation time was longer in patients with obstructive respiratory function than in patients without obstructive respiratory function. Male sex and obstructive respiratory function were factors that contributed to extubation time.