[Identification of patients with a high risk of needing prolonged mechanical ventilation after coronary surgery]

To identify patients at greater risk of developing respiratory complications, defined as the need for mechanical ventilation (MV) longer than 48 h, following revascularization surgery.

This was a prospective analysis of 39 variables in 107 consecutive operations taking place over 9 months. We studied the association of these variables with the need for prolonged MV after surgery, by way of single variable and multivariate analysis.

The incidence of prolonged MV was 7.7% and the 25% rate of mortality in the group of patients with this complication was significantly higher than the 0% mortality in the remaining patients. After single variable analysis of the data, the following variables were more significantly (p < 0.01) associated with the need for postoperative MV longer than 48 h: presence of other cardiac lesions other than coronary disease, performance of other heart surgery along with the coronary revascularization, surgical complications, high left auricular pressure soon after surgery. The variables found to have the highest independent predictive value based on the multivariate analysis were performance of other heart surgery along with the coronary revascularization and surgical complications.

Our study indicates that the variables that point to poor left ventricular function and negative repercussions on extracorporeal circulation are associated with a greater incidence of prolonged MV after coronary surgery. Keeping these variables in mind allows high risk patients to be identified. More extensive monitoring of breathing function and therapeutic measures can then be implemented for better postoperative management.