Fast-track cardiac anesthesia (FTCA) has gained significant popularity over the past decades due to its potential to reduce healthcare costs and optimize the use of medical resources. This approach has led anesthesiologists to reconsider the traditional model of cardiac anesthesia, known as Conventional Cardiac Anesthesia (CCA), which historically relied on the administration of high-dose opioids to ensure adequate hemodynamic stability and prolonged postoperative analgesia, thereby reducing the incidence of myocardial ischemia. One of the primary goals of fast-track cardiac anesthesia is early tracheal extubation. Increasing evidence demonstrates that early extubation is associated with a reduction in the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and overall hospital length of stay, resulting in significant cost savings without negatively affecting patients' clinical outcomes. In contrast, prolonged mechanical ventilation has been shown to have a substantial economic impact and, more importantly, is associated with higher in-hospital mortality and reduced long-term survival, including decreased five-year survival rates. The Ultra Fast Track protocol, which involves extubation directly in the operating room, is currently less commonly used. However, it may further reduce postoperative mechanical ventilation time and the incidence of pulmonary complications, potentially leading to an additional reduction in hospital length of stay. The aim of this study is to compare the Fast Track and Ultra Fast Track protocols in order to evaluate differences in the incidence of respiratory, cardiac, renal, septic, and neurological complications. Postoperative pain will also be assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), as well as the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications
Timeframe: From ICU discharge to Day 7 post-discharge