Study objective. To determine the impact of the duration of mechanical ventilation on the rate of pulmonary complications in smokers undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 2163 patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery between September 1993 and August 1999. Based on a 3-month preoperative smoking cessation, patients were classified as smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. Their postoperative pulmonary complications were compared and related to the duration of mechanical ventilation. Results: Postoperative pulmonary complications were twice as common in smokers (29.5%) as non-smokers (13.6%) and ex-smokers (14.7%). Although smokers required a longer duration of mechanical ventilation, this was not statistically significant. Smokers had a higher rate of increase in postoperative pulmonary complications beyond 6 h of mechanical ventilation (P<0.002). Conclusion: Prolonged mechanical ventilation in active smokers undergoing cardiac surgery is associated with a significant increase in the respiratory morbidity. Surgical strategies that allow early extubation may improve the respiratory outcome in smokers.
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