Researchers examined the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for patients who underwent cervical spine surgery. The researchers included 8,648 cervical spine procedures performed 2006 to 2011 with 54 patients who required prolonged ventilation and 56 patients who underwent a postoperative reintubation.
The researchers found patients who needed postoperative airway management were:
• Older
• Had a greater comorbidity burden
• More likely to be readmitted
• More likely to need reoperations
• More likely to experience complications
• Had a greater mortality rate
Independent predictors of prolonged ventilation included a history of cardiac disease and dialysis along with a low postoperative albumin level, according to the report. Independent risk factors for a postoperative reintubation included recent weight loss, another operation within 30 days, low preoperative hematocrit and high serum creatinine.
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