ARTERIOVENOUS OXYGEN SATURATION DIFFERENCE: SHOULD IT BE FOLLOWED FOR EXTUBATION AFTER PEDIATRIC CARDIAC SURGERY

Background: After pediatric cardiac surgery, the arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference is often used to guide post-operative management and decision for extubation. This prospective study aimed to establish whether the arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference supports the timely extubation or it just delayed the extubation and its relation with extubation failure. Material and Methods: A prospective single blind study conducted in department of PCICU of pediatric cardiac surgical department. There were two groups(A&B) consisted of 76 patients in each group underwent open heart surgeries. Group A patients were extubated once extubation criteria with desired AV difference was achieved while group B patients were extubated once extubation criteria was achieved without considering AV difference. Patients extubation time <6hours or more and extubation failure was monitored. Results: Group A contains patients whom AV difference was used for decision making along with extubation criteria while in group B AV difference was not considered .Both groups were comparable in disease profile . Delayed extubation was observed in 32(42%) and 28(37%) in group A and B respectively (p=.5) . While extubation failure was observed in ten patients with 3 patients in group A and 7 patients in group B(p=.19) Conclusion: Though higher reintubation rate was observed when AV difference was not followed but statistically it was insignificant.