Ultrafast track versus conventional fast track in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a propensity score-matched analysis

OBJECTIVES: We aimed at comparing the risk of major adverse events and length of stay between patients undergoing ultrafast track and conventional fast track. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study adjusted by propensity score matching, including patients operated on between March 2020 and December 2022 of any of the following: coronary, valve surgery or ascending aorta surgery. Patients were divided into 2 groups: ultrafast track: extubation in the operating room and fast track: extubation attempted in the first 6 postoperative hours. The primary objective was to compare the risk of the combined event death, lung respiratory outcomes (reintubation, mechanical ventilation longer than 24 h or pneumonia), or acute renal failure. RESULTS: A total of 1126 patients were included. A total of 579 (51.4%) were extubated in the operating room. A total of 331 pairs were available after matching by propensity score. The risk of the primary outcome was 11.8% (n = 39) in the fast-track group and 6.3% (n = 21) in the ultrafast-track group (P = 0.013), mostly driven by lung adverse events (6.9% vs 2.4%, P = 0.011) while no significant differences were detected in the risk of death (2.4% vs 1.8%, P = 0.77) or acute renal failure (8% vs 6.3%, P = 0.56). The risk of myocardial infarction was higher in the fast-track group (2.7% vs 0%, P = 0.039). The median length of stay in the postoperative intensive care unit was longer in the fast-track group [24.7 h (interquartile range 21.5; 62.9) vs 23.5 h (interquartile range 22; 46), P = 0.015]. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, extubation in the operating room is associated to a lower risk of postoperative complications (mostly driven by lung adverse events) and length of stay in intensive care unit as compared to fast track.