Planned Cardiac Reexploration in the Intensive Care Unit Is a Safe Procedure

Planned reexploration in the ICU is a safe procedure with acceptable mortality and morbidity and low infection rates. Unplanned reexplorations, however, increase postoperative risk and are associated with high mortality and morbidity. These data argue for coordinated, routine approaches to planned ICU reexploration to avoid delay in treatment for postoperative hemorrhage.