Early Extubation Following Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

To determine the safety of early extubation (EE) after coronary artery surgery. Prospective randomized controlled trial. The cardiac surgery operating room and ICU of a university-affiliated teaching hospital. One hundred eligible patients presenting for elective coronary artery surgery. Patients randomized to the EE group were administered a reduced dose of fentanyl (15 μg/kg) and an anesthetic compatible with EE, while patients randomized to the conventional extubation (CE) group were given fentanyl (50 μg/kg). The time to extubation in the EE group (median, 240 min; range, 30 to 930 min) was significantly less than the CE group (median, 420 min; range, 125 to 1,140 min) (p