Aspiration prevention protocol: decreasing postoperative pneumonia in heart surgery patients.

BACKGROUND Postoperative pneumonia contributes to morbidity and mortality in patients who have open heart surgery. OBJECTIVES To determine if measures to reduce aspiration in patients after cardiothoracic surgery would decrease the occurrence of postoperative pneumonia. METHODS All patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery from April 2008 through October 2008 were prospectively enrolled in the study.