Aim

Early extubation after cardiac surgery shortens paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) length of stay (LOS) and decreases complications from mechanical ventilation (MV). We explored duration of MV in Scandinavian paediatric heart centres.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed MV duration and PICU LOS of 696 children operated for atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), or total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) in four Scandinavian centres in 2015-2016. Neonates (n = 90) were included regardless of heart surgery type.

Results

Patients with ASD were extubated at a median of 3.25 hours (interquartile range [IQR] 2.00 - 4.83), followed by patients with TCPC (median 5.00 hours, IQR 2.60 - 16.83), VSD (median 7.00 hours, IQR 3.69 - 22.25), and TOF (median 18.08 hours, IQR 6.00 - 41.38). Neonates were not extubated early (median 94.42 hours, IQR 45.03 - 138.14). Although MV durations were reflected in PICU LOS, this was not as apparent among those extubated within 12 h. The Swedish centres had shortest MV durations and PICU LOS. Extubation failed in 24/696 (3.4%) of patients.

Conclusion

Scandinavian paediatric heart centres differed in duration of postoperative MV. Deferring extubation up to 12 h postoperatively did not markedly prolong PICU LOS.