Randomized assessment of resource use in fast-track cardiac surgery 1-year after hospital discharge.

Background: The authors assessed the safety and resource use associated with fast-track cardiac anesthesia (FTCA) after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) over a 1-yr period.

Methods: One hundred twenty patients were initially randomized to FTCA (n = 60) or conventional anesthetic (n = 60) for primary elective CABG surgery. Patients were followed for 1-yr after index surgery through linkage to universal administrative databases.