Early tracheal extubation in adults undergoing single-lung transplantation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: pilot evaluation of perioperative outcome.

The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the safety and success of early tracheal extubation (ETE) as compared to delayed tracheal extubation (DTE) in single-lung transplantation (SLT) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This retrospective observational study was undertaken at a university hospital. Fifty-seven adult patients who underwent SLT for COPD (1998-2003) were enrolled. The study cohort was divided into an ETE subgroup (tracheal extubation in the operating room) or a DTE subgroup (tracheal extubation in the intensive care unit). There were no significant differences in perioperative outcomes between subgroups (in-hospital mortality; length of stay; prolonged mechanical ventilation; primary graft dysfunction; pneumonia; atrial fibrillation; renal dysfunction; and, sepsis). The anesthetic technique associated with ETE in SLT for COPD was characterized by limited systemic anesthetics and perioperative thoracic epidural analgesia. Appropriate ETE in SLT for COPD is not only safe but also results in equivalent perioperative outcome when compared to the traditional technique of DTE. Future studies should be powered to examine whether ETE reduces native lung complications such as hyperinflation, pneumonia and pneumothorax.