Changes in Anesthetic and Postoperative Sedation–Analgesia Practice Associated With Early Extubation Following Infant Cardiac Surgery: Experience From the Pediatric Heart Network Collaborative Learning Study*

Abstract

The implementation of an early extubation clinical practice guideline resulted in a reduction in the dose of opioids and benzodiazepines without a change in volatile anesthetic agent used in the operating room. Intraoperative dexmedetomidine administration was independently associated with early extubation. The total benzodiazepine exposure decreased in the early postoperative period.