Objectives: To evaluate the correlation between preoperative pulmonary function tests, surgical approach and postoperative time of tracheal extubation in patients with scoliosis.
Methods: The case records of 115 patients, who underwent anterior or posterior fusion, were reviewed. And we studied the relative factors on postoperative time of tracheal extubation by multiple linear regression analysis.
Results: Multiple linear regression showed that the time of tracheal extubation had negative correlation with the VC%, MVV%, FEV1%, FEF25% and thoracoplasty. On the other hand, the time of extubation in patients with thoracoplasty was larger than those without thoracoplasty, but the time of extubation in patients with or without thoracotomy had no statistical significance.
Conclusions: VC%, MVV%, FEV1%, FEF25% and thoracoplasty are the main determinants of the time of extubation in patients with scoliosis. Preoperative pulmonary function evaluation and surgical approach selection may play an important role in determining the time of tracheal extubation in patients with scoliosis.