ABSTRACT
Hong Kong Med J 2003;9:98-102 | Number 2, April 2003
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Early extubation after transthoracic oesophagectomy
FHY Yap, JYW Lau, GM Joynt, PT Chui, ACW Chan, SSC Chung
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
OBJECTIVE. To assess patient outcome following transthoracic (Ivor-Lewis) oesophagectomy and the effects of epidural analgesia and early extubation compared with overnight sedation and ventilation.
DESIGN. Retrospective study.
SETTING. University teaching hospital, Hong Kong.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS. A retrospective review of patients undergoing oesophagectomy during two periods, 1990 to 1994 (n=65) and 1995 to 1998 (n=83), was completed. In the latter period, factors associated with early extubation were also evaluated.
RESULTS. Between 1990 and 1994, only three (4.6%) of 65 patients were extubated early compared with 34 (41.0%) of 83 patients between 1995 and 1998 (P
CONCLUSION. After transthoracic oesophagectomy, early extubation is safe and can lead to a shorter stay in the intensive care unit. Epidural analgesia appears to facilitate early extubation.
Key words: Analgesia, epidural; Esophagectomy; Mortality; Postoperative complications; Ventilation
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