Early extubation in congenital cardiac surgery reduces the complications associated with prolonged intubation, avoiding the consequences of sedation and the effects of positive-pressure ventilation.1 Early extubation has a greater success rate in children with greater body weights and those undergoing shorter surgical procedures.2 Delayed extubation is considered an indicator of poor outcomes in most quality control programs. In the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database, early extubation after Fontan operation or repairing tetralogy of Fallot is mostly discussed.
