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Ann Thorac Surg 1999;68:492
© 1999 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Invited Commentaries

^a Critical Care Services, Baystate Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Springfield, MA 01199, USA

Invited commentary

Complications requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (> 7 days) occur in about 2% of primary bypass and valve surgery patients and in up to 4% of reoperation patients. Tracheostomy is usually indicated when mechanical ventilation will be required for more than 2 weeks. Factors predisposing to prolonged ventilator support include emergency procedures, reoperations, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, impaired renal function, advanced age, and debilitation. Given a tracheostomy . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Ann. Thorac. Surg. 1999 68: 486-492. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]