Risk factors for noninvasive ventilation failure in patients with post-extubation acute respiratory failure after cardiac surgery

Approximately 9–35% of patients develop acute respiratory failure (ARF) after cardiac surgery; the incidence of ARF is higher in patients undergoing complex surgical procedures (1-3). Post-extubation ARF is a serious complication of cardiac surgery and may increase the stay at the intensive care unit (ICU) and in-hospital mortality (4,5)