High-flow nasal cannula vs conventional oxygen therapy for postcardiothoracic surgery

Abstract

BACKGROUND: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy is widely used in extubated patients. We aim to evaluate the effect of HFNC compared with conventional oxygen therapy in adults after cardiothoracic surgery. METHODS: We conducted a literature search in PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials for randomized controlled trials that compared HFNC with conventional oxygen therapy in extubated patients after cardiothoracic surgery. RESULTS: Eight studies with 1,086 subjects were included. Compared with conventional oxygen therapy, HFNC was associated with a significant reduction in the need for escalation of respiratory support (risk ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.26–0.61, P