Patient Transport Experience in Our Institution Following Open Heart Surgery

Abstract

Patient Transport Experience in Our Institution Following Open Heart SurgeryObjective: Transporting critically ill patients is very often associated with problems and complications. Previous reports studied incidence of complications with associated factors for different patients groups. The aim of our study is to investigate complications during an in-hospital transport of highly special group as postoperative cardiac surgical patients.Material and Methods: All patients undergoing elective open heart surgery between January-September 2013 were included in the study. The commencement of the patient transport was determined as transfer of the patients from inbuilt to portable ventilator and ventilator. The transport was terminated wheren patients were again attached to ventilator and monitor of ICU. Hemodynamic parameters (blood pressures, heart rate, oxygen saturation) were all noted with arterial gas analysis on admission into ICU. All complications during transport were also recorded. Results: During the study period 240 subjects, including 108 adults and 132 children were enrolled in the study. Most frequent complication was respiratory alkalosis due to hyperventilation (13,75 %). Other problems were hypotension (2,5 %), arterial decannulation (2,5 %), difficult ventilation (1,66 %), respiratory acidosis (0,82 %), inadvertent removal of central venous catheter (0,4 %). One patient had cardiac arrest and was successfully resuscitated. Conclusion: Postoperative cardiac surgery patients could be transported with minor complications. We think that reduced incidence of adverse events was related to short transport time as well as to experienced transport team.