Postoperative Pulmonary Complications Research Articles

Predicting the association of different levels of physical activity on postoperative pulmonary complications using the international physical activity questionnaire in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung surgery under general anaesthesia: protocol for a prospective cohort study

IntroductionPostoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) occur frequently in patients undergoing lung surgery under general anaesthesia and are strongly associated with longer postoperative hospital stays and increased mortality. The existing literature has...

Impact of obesity on the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications following laparoscopic colorectal surgery

Objective: To evaluate the effects of obesity on the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) following laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Methods: A total of 150 patients with pathological diagnosis of colorectal cancer who accepted laparoscopic colorectal excision from January to May 2023 were retrospectively recruited. All the patients scored 26 points or more in the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia (ARISCAT) model, making them all in intermediate to high risks of PPCs. Patients were divided into obesity group and non-obesity group depending on whether they were obese or not. Propensity score matching (1∶1) was performed to achieve the balance of clinicopathological characteristics with the matching factors of age, sex, respiratory complications and ARISCAT score. A total of 96 patients were eventually enrolled, with 48 patients in obesity group and 48 patients in non-obesity group. Besides, the patients were divided into 25°-30° Trendelenburg subgroup and ±10°-15° Trendelenburg subgroup according to surgical sites for further analysis. The incidence of PPCs, the intraoperative airway pressure and blood biomarker expression of lung injury, including soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) and angiopoietin-2 (ANG2) at postoperative day (POD) 1 and POD3 between the two groups were compared. The relationship between obesity and incidence of PPCs within 30 postoperative days were analyzed with unifactorial Cox proportional hazard model. Results: The obesity group was comprised of 35 males and 13 females with a median age of 60 (49, 69) years, and the non-obesity group was comprised of 35 males and 13 females with a median age of 60 (52, 67) years. The incidence of PPCs was 50.0% (24/48) in the obesity group, which was higher than 20.8% (10/48) in the non-obesity group and the incidence of grade Ⅰ PPCs and microatelectasis were 31.3% (15/48) and 33.3% (16/48), higher than the 12.5% (6/48) and 12.5% (6/48) of the non-obesity group (all P<0.05). The peak airway pressure (Ppeak) and plateau airway pressure (Pplat) of patients in obesity group were 34.0(31.5, 36.5) and 30.0(27.0, 32.0) cmH2O(1 cmH2O=0.098 kPa), which were significantly higher than the 26.0 (24.0, 29.5) and 22.0 (21.0, 26.5) cmH2O of the non-obesity group (all P<0.001). The ANG2 level of the obesity group at POD3 was 11.9 (8.4, 16.5) μg/L, which was higher than 9.2 (6.0, 12.3) μg/L of the non-obesity group (P=0.045). In 25°-30°Trendelenburg subgroup, the incidence of PPCs in obese patients were significantly higher than that of non-obese patients [41.4% (12/29) vs 11.4% (4/35), P=0.005]. In ±10°-15°Trendelenburg subgroup, no significant difference was found in PPCs incidence between obese and non-obese patients [63.2% (12/19) vs 46.2% (6/13), P=0.215]. The unifactorial Cox proportional hazard model analysis showed that obesity was a risk factor of PPCs in 30 postoperative days (HR=3.015, 95%CI: 1.438-6.321, P=0.001). Conclusion: In patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery with intermediate to high risk of PPCs, obesity raises intraoperative airway pressure and aggravates intraoperative lung endothelial injury. Obesity is a risk factor of PPCs in 30 postoperative days.

Risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications in elderly patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy under general anesthesia: a retrospective study

BackgroundThe objective of this study is to identify and evaluate the risk factors associated with the development of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in elderly patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy under general anesthesia.MethodsThe retrospective study consecutively included elderly patients (≥ 70 years old) who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy at Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 1, 2018 to August 31, 2023. The demographic characteristics, the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative parameters were collected and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression to identify the prediction of risk factors for PPCs.Results322 patients were included for analysis, and 115 patients (35.7%) developed PPCs. Multifactorial regression analysis showed that ASA ≥ III (P = 0.006, 95% CI: 1.230 ∼ 3.532), duration of one-lung ventilation (P = 0.033, 95% CI: 1.069 ∼ 4.867), smoking (P = 0.027, 95% CI: 1.072 ∼ 3.194) and COPD (P = 0.015, 95% CI: 1.332 ∼ 13.716) are independent risk factors for PPCs after thoracoscopic lobectomy in elderly patients.ConclusionRisk factors for PPCs are ASA ≥ III, duration of one-lung ventilation, smoking and COPD in elderly patients over 70 years old undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. It is necessary to pay special attention to these patients to help optimize the allocation of resources and enhance preventive efforts.

Lung Volume and Ventilation Distribution After Bariatric Surgery-High-Flow Nasal Cannula Versus CPAP.

Patients with obesity are at increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. CPAP has been used successfully to prevent and treat acute respiratory failure, but in many clinical scenarios, high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy is emerging as a possible alternative. We aimed to compare HFNC and CPAP in a sequential study measuring their effects on gas exchange, lung volumes, and gas distribution within the lungs measured through electrical impedance tomography (EIT). We enrolled 15 subjects undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Postoperatively they underwent the following oxygen therapy protocol (10 min/step): baseline air-entrainment mask, HFNC at increasing (40, 60, 80, and 100 L/min) and decreasing flows (80, 60, and 40 L/min), washout air-entrainment mask and CPAP (10 cm H2O). Primary outcome was the change in end-expiratory lung impedance (ΔEELI) measured by EIT data processing. Secondary outcomes were changes of global inhomogeneity (GI) index and tidal impedance variation (TIV) measured by EIT, arterial oxygenation, carbon dioxide content, pH, respiratory frequency, and subject's comfort. Thirteen subjects completed the study. Compared to baseline, ΔEELI was higher during 10 cm H2O CPAP (P = .001) and HFNC 100 L/min (P = .02), as well as during decreasing flows HFNC 80, 60, and 40 L/min (P = .008, .004, and .02, respectively). GI index was lower during HFNC 100 compared to HFNC 60increasing (P = .044), HFNC 60decreasing (P = .02) HFNC 40decreasing (P = .01), and during 10 cm H2O CPAP compared to washout period (P = .01) and HFNC 40decreasing (P = .03). TIV was higher during 10 cm H2O CPAP compared to baseline (P = .008). Compared to baseline, breathing frequency was lower at HFNC 60increasing, HFNC 100, and HFNC 80decreasing (P = .01, .02, and .03, respectively). No differences were detected regarding arterial oxygenation, carbon dioxide content, pH, and subject's comfort. HFNC at a flow of 100 L/min induced postoperative pulmonary recruitment in bariatric subjects, with no significant differences compared to 10 cm H2O CPAP in terms of lung recruitment and ventilation distribution.

Effect of the alveolar recruitment maneuver during laparoscopic colorectal surgery on postoperative pulmonary complications: A randomized controlled trial

Intraoperative lung-protective ventilation, including low tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure, reduces postoperative pulmonary complications. However, the effect and specific alveolar recruitment maneuver method are controversial. We investigated whether the intraoperative intermittent recruitment maneuver further reduced postoperative pulmonary complications while using a lung-protective ventilation strategy. Adult patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal surgery were randomly allocated to the recruitment or control groups. Intraoperative ventilation was adjusted to maintain a tidal volume of 6–8 mL kg−1 and positive end-expiratory pressure of 5 cmH2O in both groups. The alveolar recruitment maneuver was applied at three time points (at the start and end of the pneumoperitoneum, and immediately before extubation) by maintaining a continuous pressure of 30 cmH2O for 30 s in the recruitment group. Clinical and radiological evidence of postoperative pulmonary complications was investigated within 7 days postoperatively. A total of 125 patients were included in the analysis. The overall incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications was not significantly different between the recruitment and control groups (28.1% vs. 31.1%, P = 0.711), while the mean ± standard deviation intraoperative peak inspiratory pressure was significantly lower in the recruitment group (10.7 ± 3.2 vs. 13.5 ± 3.0 cmH2O at the time of CO2 gas-out, P &lt; 0.001; 9.8 ± 2.3 vs. 12.5 ± 3.0 cmH2O at the time of recovery, P &lt; 0.001). The alveolar recruitment maneuver with a pressure of 30 cmH2O for 30 s did not further reduce postoperative pulmonary complications when a low tidal volume and 5 cmH2O positive end-expiratory pressure were applied to patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery and was not associated with any significant adverse events. However, the alveolar recruitment maneuver significantly reduced intraoperative peak inspiratory pressure. Further study is needed to validate the beneficial effect of the alveolar recruitment maneuver in patients at increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03681236).

Preoperative three-dimensional lung volumetry predicts respiratory complications in patients undergoing major liver resection for colorectal metastases

Colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) are the predominant factor limiting survival in patients with colorectal cancer and liver resection with complete tumor removal is the best treatment option for these patients. This study examines the predictive ability of three-dimensional lung volumetry (3DLV) based on preoperative computerized tomography (CT), to predict postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing major liver resection for CRLM. Patients undergoing major curative liver resection for CRLM between 2010 and 2021 with a preoperative CT scan of the thorax within 6 weeks of surgery, were included. Total lung volume (TLV) was calculated using volumetry software 3D-Slicer version 4.11.20210226 including Chest Imaging Platform extension (http://www.slicer.org). The area under the curve (AUC) of a receiver-operating characteristic analysis was used to define a cut-off value of TLV, for predicting the occurrence of postoperative respiratory complications. Differences between patients with TLV below and above the cut-off were examined with Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test and Mann–Whitney U tests and logistic regression was used to determine independent risk factors for the development of respiratory complications. A total of 123 patients were included, of which 35 (29%) developed respiratory complications. A predictive ability of TLV regarding respiratory complications was shown (AUC 0.62, p = 0.036) and a cut-off value of 4500 cm3 was defined. Patients with TLV < 4500 cm3 were shown to suffer from significantly higher rates of respiratory complications (44% vs. 21%, p = 0.007) compared to the rest. Logistic regression analysis identified TLV < 4500 cm3 as an independent predictor for the occurrence of respiratory complications (odds ratio 3.777, 95% confidence intervals 1.488–9.588, p = 0.005). Preoperative 3DLV is a viable technique for prediction of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing major liver resection for CRLM. More studies in larger cohorts are necessary to further evaluate this technique.

Totally laparoscopic versus laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy: the KLASS-07, a randomized controlled trial.

Strong evidence is lacking as no confirmatory randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have compared the efficacy of totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) with laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG). We performed an RCT to confirm if TLDG is different from LADG. The XXXXX trial is a multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, phase III, RCT of 442 patients with clinical stage I gastric cancer. Patients were enrolled from 21 cancer care centers in South Korea between January 2018 and September 2020 and randomized to undergo TLDG or LADG using blocked randomization with a 1:1 allocation ratio, stratified by the participating investigators. Patients were treated through R0 resections by TLDG or LADG as the full analysis set of the XXXXX trial. The primary endpoint was morbidity within postoperative day 30, and the secondary endpoint was QoL for 1 year. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT XXXXXXXX). 442 patients were randomized (222 to TLDG, 220 to LADG), and 422 patients were included in the pure analysis (213 and 209, respectively). The overall complication rate did not differ between the two groups (TLDG vs. LADG: 12.2% vs. 17.2%). However, TLDG provided less postoperative ileus and pulmonary complications than LADG (0.9% vs. 5.7%, P=0.006; and 0.5% vs. 4.3%, P=0.035, respectively). The QoL was better after TLDG than after LADG regarding emotional functioning at 6 months, pain at 3 months, anxiety at 3 and 6 months, and body image at 3 and 6 months (all P<0.05). However, these QoL differences were resolved at 1 year. The XXXXX trial confirmed that TLDG is not different from LADG in terms of postoperative complication but has advantages to reduce ileus and pulmonary complications. TLDG can be a good option to offer better QoL in terms of pain, body image, emotion, and anxiety at 3-6 months.

Feasibility of utilizing mediastinal drains alone following esophageal cancer surgery: a retrospective study

BackgroundIt was typically necessary to place a closed thoracic drainage tube for drainage following esophageal cancer surgery. Recently, the extra use of thoracic mediastinal drainage after esophageal cancer surgery had also become more common. However, it had not yet been determined whether mediastinal drains could be used alone following esophageal cancer surgery.MethodsA total of 134 patients who underwent esophageal cancer surgery in our department between June 2020 and June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 34 patients received closed thoracic drainage (CTD), 58 patients received closed thoracic drainage combined with mediastinal drainage (CTD-MD), while 42 patients received postoperative mediastinal drainage (MD). The general condition, incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative NRS score, and postoperative anastomotic leakage were compared. The Mann-Whitney U tests, Welch’s t tests, one-way ANOVA, chi-square tests and Fisher’s exact tests were applied.ResultsThere was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative hyperthermia, peak leukocytes, total drainage, hospitalization days and postoperative pulmonary complications between MD group and the other two groups. Interestingly, patients in the MD group experienced significantly lower postoperative pain compared to the other two groups. Additionally, abnormal postoperative drainage fluid could be detected early in this group. Furthermore, there was no significant change in the incidence of postoperative anastomotic leakage and the mortality rate of patients after the occurrence of anastomotic leakage in the MD group compared with the other two groups.ConclusionsUsing mediastinal drain alone following esophageal cancer surgery was equally safe. Furthermore, it could substantially decrease postoperative pain, potentially replacing the closed thoracic drain in clinical practice.

Prognostic value of perioperative changes in the prognostic nutritional index in patients with surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer.

This single-institution retrospective cohort study was conducted to assess the prognostic significance of perioperative changes in the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in patients who underwent surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Clinicopathological data were collected from 441 patients who underwent lobectomy for NSCLC between 2010 and 2016.The PNI ratio (postoperative PNI/preoperative PNI) was used as an indicator of perioperative PNI changes. Prognostic differences were investigated based on PNI ratios. The optimal cut-off value of the PNI ratio for overall survival (OS) was set at 0.88 using a receiver operating characteristic curve. The PNI ratio was inversely related to a high smoking index, interstitial lung disease, and postoperative pulmonary complications. The 5-year OS rates for the high vs. low PNI ratio groups were 88.2% vs. 68.5%, respectively (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.90-4.86). Multivariable analysis revealed that a low PNI ratio was significantly associated with poor prognosis (HR: 2.94, 95% CI: 1.77-4.87). The PNI ratio was a more sensitive indicator than postoperative PNI status alone for identifying patients at high risk of mortality, particularly those with non-lung cancer causes. The perioperative PNI change is a significant prognostic factor for patients with NSCLC.

Retraction: Comparative evaluation of the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications after minimally invasive valve surgery vs. full sternotomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and propensity score-matched studies

Retraction: Comparative evaluation of the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications after minimally invasive valve surgery vs. full sternotomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and propensity score-matched studies

Pre-operative pulmonary risk assessment in surgery patients

Aims: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) that may develop after surgery are important causes of morbidity and mortality. PPCs cause a prolongation of hospital stays and an increase in hospitalization costs. The study aims to determine factors associated with PPCs to predict PPCs in surgical patients undergoing preoperative evaluation. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital using data from 200 patients referred for preoperative pulmonary evaluation from anesthesia and surgery clinics. This study analyzed the characteristics and outcomes of patients with PPC and those without PPC. The Canet pulmonary risk scores are used for PPC in all preoperative surgery patients. The study’s primary endpoints are to determine the development of respiratory failure, bronchospasm/asthma, COPD exacerbation, atelectasis, pleural effusion, or pneumonia. The study also analyzed the effective respiratory function parameters for PPC development using a logistic regression model. Results: The total study population included 200 patients with a median age of 53.5 years (aged between 19-88), 103 (51.5%) of whom were female. PPCs were observed in 38% (n=76) of the study group. There was a statistically significant difference between the patients in terms of the development of postoperative pulmonary complications according to gender (higher in males, p=0.001) and smoking (p=0.0001). Preoperative oxygen saturation (SpO2) and FEV1/FVC ratio were significant predictors of PPC development, and complications were more frequent in low-saturated patients (p=0.0001, p=0.013 respectively). The relationship between SpO2 and PPC was confirmed via logistic regression analysis. A one-unit increase in saturation reduced the occurrence of postoperative respiratory complications by 0.645-fold. The cut-off value for the saturation value was 97.5%, with a sensitivity of 46.8% and a specificity of 71.1% [p=0.0001, 95% CI, (0.521-0.798)]. Conclusion: In this study, the Canet (ARISCAT) score, a preoperative evaluation scale validated in Turkey that predicts postoperative pulmonary complications and mortality, was used. The Canet risk score is a simple risk score with moderate discriminatory performance for predicting PPCs. It may be useful in identifying individual patients at high risk of PPC and in the design of future studies to evaluate interventions to prevent these complications. However, a customized preoperative risk assessment system is needed for each patient.

Adjustment of positive end-expiratory pressure to body mass index during mechanical ventilation in general anesthesia: BodyVent, a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundIn patients requiring general anesthesia, lung-protective ventilation can prevent postoperative pulmonary complications, which are associated with higher morbidity, mortality, and prolonged hospital stay. Application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is one component of lung-protective ventilation. The correct strategy for setting adequate PEEP, however, remains controversial. PEEP settings that lead to a lower pressure difference between end-inspiratory plateau pressure and end-expiratory pressure (“driving pressure,” ΔP) may reduce the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Preliminary data suggests that the PEEP required to prevent both end-inspiratory overdistension and end-expiratory alveolar collapse, thereby reducing ΔP, correlates positively with the body mass index (BMI) of patients, with PEEP values corresponding to approximately 1/3 of patient’s respective BMI. Thus, we hypothesize that adjusting PEEP according to patient BMI reduces ΔP and may result in less postoperative pulmonary complications.MethodsPatients undergoing general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation with volume-controlled ventilation with a tidal volume of 7 ml per kg predicted body weight will be randomized and assigned to either an intervention group with PEEP adjusted according to BMI or a control group with a standardized PEEP of 5 mbar. Pre- and postoperatively, lung ultrasound will be performed to determine the lung aeration score, and hemodynamic and respiratory vital signs will be recorded for subsequent evaluation. The primary outcome is the difference in ΔP as a surrogate parameter for lung-protective ventilation. Secondary outcomes include change in lung aeration score, intraoperative occurrence of hemodynamic and respiratory events, oxygen requirements and postoperative pulmonary complications.DiscussionThe study results will show whether an intraoperative ventilation strategy with PEEP adjustment based on BMI has the potential of reducing the risk for postoperative pulmonary complications as an easy-to-implement intervention that does not require lengthy ventilator maneuvers nor additional equipment.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), DRKS00031336. Registered 21st February 2023.Trial statusThe study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Germany, on 1st February 2023. Recruitment began in March 2023 and is expected to end in September 2023.

Is Incentive Spirometry Superior to Standard Care in Postoperative Cardiac Surgery on Clinical Outcomes and Length of Hospital and Intensive Care Unit Stay? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Cardiac surgery is a frequent surgical procedure and may present a high risk of complications. Among the prophylactic strategies studied to decrease the rates of negative outcomes, respiratory care seems to reduce pulmonary complications. Incentive spirometry (IS) is a low-cost, respiratory exercise technique, used for the prevention and treatment of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC). The aim of this review was to evaluate whether IS is superior to respiratory care, mobilization exercises, and noninvasive ventilation on PPC, and clinical outcomes. Systematic review. Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (or MEDLINE®), Embase®, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (or CENTRAL), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (or PEDro), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health (or CINAHL®), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (or LILACS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (or SciELO), Allied, Scopus®, and OpenGrey databases, clinical trial registration sites, conferences, congresses, and symposiums were searched. Twenty-one randomized trials and one quasi-randomized trial (1,677 participants) were included. For partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), IS was inferior to respiratory care (mean difference [MD] -4.48; 95% confidence interval [CI] -8.32 to -0.63). Flow-oriented IS was inferior to respiratory care on PaO2 (MD -4.53; 95% CI -8.88 to -0.18). However, compared to respiratory care, flow-oriented IS was superior on recovery vital capacity. This meta-analysis revealed that IS was not superior to standard respiratory care for PPCs and clinical outcomes, therefore its use should not be widely recommended until further studies with high quality be performed to ensure this clinical guidance.

Comparison of Analgesic Efficacy of Ultrasound Guided PEC II Block Using Dexamethasone as an Adjuvant to Ropivacaine Versus Plain Ropivacaine in Patients Undergoing Modified Radical Mastectomy: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Pain after breast cancer surgery is one of the main reasons for postoperative morbidity and pulmonary complications leading to increased hospital stay. Therefore, effective management of postoperative pain becomes necessary to alleviate patients' suffering and allow early mobilization and hospital discharge. Traditionally, opioids have been used to manage perioperative pain but they are associated with side effects. So, an opioid-sparing multimodal analgesia approach is used nowadays. Ultrasound-guided pectoral type-II (PEC II) block is increasingly being used to address acute postoperative pain after breast cancer surgery. However, to date, not many studies have been done regarding prolonging the duration of analgesia of PEC II blocks for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy (MRM). So, we undertook this study to compare the analgesic efficacy of PEC II block using dexamethasone as an adjuvant to ropivacaine versus plain ropivacaine in patients undergoing MRM. After obtaining approval from the institute ethics committee and written informed consent from the patients, this prospective, double-blind, parallel group, randomized controlled study was carried out at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur, from March 2021 to March 2022. Sixty-four female patients, aged 18 years and above, belonging to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, physical status I, II, and III, undergoingunilateral, elective MRMunder general anesthesia, were randomly allocated to two groups A and B, with 32 patients in each to receive30 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine plus 2 mL (8 mg) of dexamethasone and 30 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine plus 2 mL of normal saline, respectively. The primary outcome measure was total opioid consumption till 12 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcome measures were the difference in pain scores based on the numeric rating scale till 12 hours postoperatively, post-operative sedation scores, the incidence of postoperative nausea vomiting (PONV), and other adverse events (if any). The mean (SD) of morphine (mg) consumed intraoperatively was 5.50 (1.05) and 5.95 (0.86) with P = 0.033 and that consumed postoperatively was 1.00 (0.00) and 1.69 (0.93) with P <0.001 in group A and B respectively, with morphine consumption being higher in the group. The difference in the NRS score for pain at rest was statistically significant at 2 h (P=0.030), 4 h (P=0.004), 6 h (P=0.002), and, 12 h (P=0.039) time points with the score being higher in group B. The groups were comparable in terms of postoperative sedation score (P > 0.05) and incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. None of the patientsin group A and 6.2% of the patients in group B had nausea (P = 0.492). None of the patients in either of the groups had vomiting. No other complication occurred during the entire study in either of the groups. In comparison to plain ropivacaine, the addition of dexamethasone as an adjuvant to ropivacaine for PEC II block in patients undergoing MRM significantly reduced perioperative opioid consumption and postoperative NRS scores. No significant change was noted in terms of postoperative sedation score, incidence of PONV, and other side effects between the groups. Therefore, we conclude that the analgesic efficacy of US-guided PEC II block using dexamethasone, as an adjuvant to ropivacaine is superior to that of plain ropivacaine in patients undergoing MRM.

Chest ultrasound to detect postoperative pulmonary complications after thoracic surgery: a comparative study

BackgroundPatients who underwent thoracic surgery procedures were usually subjected to daily chest X-rays until discharge, exposing patients to ionizing radiation and requiring patient movement with chest drains, difficult positioning, and time-consuming. Unlike chest ultrasound, which is a good alternative because it is bedside and accurate in the detection of pulmonary complications. We hypothesize that a thoracic surgery resident with a short training program in chest ultrasound can achieve comparable results to a chest X-ray. Our study aims to analyze the agreement between the two techniques.ResultsThis is an observational prospective study. Eighty-six adult patients who underwent thoracic surgery were included. Every patient had a chest X-ray and chest ultrasound follow-up on day 0, day 3, and day 5 post-operative. Chest ultrasound examinations were performed by the same resident, and the results were revised by an expert sonographer for the detection of pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pulmonary consolidation, and interstitial pattern. Both diagnostic procedures showed substantial agreement for pneumothorax (K = 0.661). For pleural effusion, they showed moderate agreement (K = 0.448, P < 0.001), and no cases developed an interstitial pattern. Overall, both diagnostic procedures showed perfect agreement (K = 0.838, P < 0.001). The time lag to perform a chest ultrasound was statistically lower than that to perform. chest X-ray, with a median of 7 min versus 80 min, respectively.ConclusionsPerforming chest ultrasound by a thoracic surgery resident is a less time-consuming and easy bedside diagnostic tool. Compared chest ultrasound to the postoperative X-ray showed a perfect diagnostic agreement for pulmonary consolidation and moderate agreement for pleural effusion and pneumothorax.Trial registrationNCT04118621

Positive end-expiratory pressure and the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing general anaesthesia.

To evaluate the effect of intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure and driving pressure on the development of postoperative pulmonary complications. The prospective study included 83 patients undergoing abdominal surgery and receiving general anaesthesia. Patients were divided into two groups: with low intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure (0-2cm H2O) and with high intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure (8-10cm H2O). The primary endpoint is the development of postoperative pulmonary complications during follow-up. The incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in the group of low intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure was 9.8%, while in the group of high positive end-expiratory pressure was 7.1% (p = 0.6), demonstrating that high positive end-expiratory pressure used during general anaesthesia does not affect the frequency of complications (odds ratio = 0.71, p = 0.6). In the multivariate analysis that controls for all confounders, driving pressure resulted in a significant and independent risk factor for complications. High intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure does not affect the frequency of postoperative pulmonary complications. The increase in driving pressure is a risk factor for complications. Positive end-expiratory pressure is easily implemented, and its use does not result in significant economic costs.

One-lung ventilation with fixed and variable tidal volumes on oxygenation and pulmonary outcomes: A randomized trial

ObjectiveTest the hypothesis that one-lung ventilation with variable tidal volume improves intraoperative oxygenation and reduces postoperative pulmonary complications after lung resection. BackgroundConstant tidal volume and respiratory rate ventilation can lead to atelectasis. Animal and human ARDS studies indicate that oxygenation improves with variable tidal volumes. Since one-lung ventilation shares characteristics with ARDS, we tested the hypothesis that one-lung ventilation with variable tidal volume improves intraoperative oxygenation and reduces postoperative pulmonary complications after lung resection. DesignRandomized trial. SettingOperating rooms and a post-anesthesia care unit. PatientsAdults having elective open or video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection surgery with general anesthesia were randomly assigned to intraoperative ventilation with fixed (n = 70) or with variable (n = 70) tidal volumes. InterventionsPatients assigned to fixed ventilation had a tidal volume of 6 ml/kgPBW, whereas those assigned to variable ventilation had tidal volumes ranging from 6 ml/kg PBW ± 33% which varied randomly at 5-min intervals. MeasurementsThe primary outcome was intraoperative oxygenation; secondary outcomes were postoperative pulmonary complications, mortality within 90 days of surgery, heart rate, and SpO2/FiO2 ratio. ResultsData from 128 patients were analyzed with 65 assigned to fixed-tidal volume ventilation and 63 to variable-tidal volume ventilation. The time-weighted average PaO2 during one-lung ventilation was 176 (86) mmHg in patients ventilated with fixed-tidal volume and 147 (72) mmHg in the patients ventilated with variable-tidal volume, a difference that was statistically significant (p < 0.01) but less than our pre-defined clinically meaningful threshold of 50 mmHg. At least one composite complication occurred in 11 (17%) of patients ventilated with variable-tidal volume and in 17 (26%) of patients assigned to fixed-tidal volume ventilation, with a relative risk of 0.67 (95% CI 0.34–1.31, p = 0.24). Atelectasis in the ventilated lung was less common with variable-tidal volumes (4.7%) than fixed-tidal volumes (20%) in the initial three postoperative days, with a relative risk of 0.24 (95% CI 0.01–0.8, p = 0.02), but there were no significant late postoperative differences. No other secondary outcomes were both statistically significant and clinically meaningful. ConclusionOne-lung ventilation with variable tidal volume does not meaningfully improve intraoperative oxygenation, and does not reduce postoperative pulmonary complications.

Comparative effects of variable versus conventional volume-controlled one-lung ventilation on gas exchange and respiratory system mechanics in thoracic surgery patients: A randomized controlled clinical trial

BackgroundMechanical ventilation with variable tidal volumes (V-VCV) has the potential to improve lung function during general anesthesia. We tested the hypothesis that V-VCV compared to conventional volume-controlled ventilation (C-VCV) would improve intraoperative arterial oxygenation and respiratory system mechanics in patients undergoing thoracic surgery under one-lung ventilation (OLV). MethodsPatients were randomized to V-VCV (n = 39) or C-VCV (n = 39). During OLV tidal volume of 5 mL/kg predicted body weight (PBW) was used. Both groups were ventilated with a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5 cm H2O, inspiration to expiration ratio (I:E) of 1:1 (during OLV) and 1:2 during two-lung ventilation, the respiratory rate (RR) titrated to arterial pH, inspiratory peak-pressure ≤ 40 cm H2O and an inspiratory oxygen fraction of 1.0. ResultsSeventy-five out of 78 Patients completed the trial and were analyzed (dropouts were excluded). The partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) 20 min after the start of OLV did not differ among groups (V-VCV: 25.8 ± 14.6 kPa vs C-VCV: 27.2 ± 15.3 kPa; mean difference [95% CI]: 1.3 [−8.2, 5.5], P = 0.700). Furthermore, intraoperative gas exchange, intraoperative adverse events, need for rescue maneuvers due to desaturation and hypercapnia, incidence of postoperative pulmonary and extra-pulmonary complications, and hospital free days at day 30 after surgery did not differ between groups. ConclusionsIn thoracic surgery patients under OLV, V-VCV did not improve oxygenation or respiratory system mechanics compared to C-VCV.Ethical Committee: EK 420092019.Trial registration: at the German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00022202 (16.06.2020).

The predictive and prognostic value of risk factors in patients receiving hybrid coronary revascularization with postoperative pulmonary complications.

The mortality rate of coronary artery disease ranks first in developed countries, and coronary revascularization therapy is an important cornerstone of its treatment. The postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in patients receiving one-stop hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) aggravate the dysfunction of multiple organs such as the heart and lungs, therefore increasing mortality. However, the risk factors are still unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the risk factors of PPCs after HCR surgery. In this study, the perioperative data of 311 patients undergoing HCR surgery were reviewed. All patients were divided into two groups according to whether the PPCs occurred. The baseline information and surgery-related indicators in preoperative laboratory examination, intraoperative fluid management, and anesthesia management were compared between the two groups. Advanced age [odds ratio (OR): 1.065, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.030-1.101, P<0.001], high body mass index (BMI; OR: 1.113, 95% CI: 1.011-1.225, P=0.02), history of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) surgery (OR: 2.831, 95% CI: 1.388-5.775, P=0.004), one-lung volume ventilation (OR: 3.804, 95% CI: 1.923-7.526, P<0.001), inhalation of high concentration oxygen (OR: 3.666, 95% CI: 1.719-7.815, P=0.001), the application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP; OR: 2.567, 95% CI: 1.338-4.926, P=0.005), and long one-lung ventilation time (OR: 1.015, 95% CI: 1.006-1.023, P=0.001) may be risk factors for postoperative PPCs in patients undergoing one-stop coronary revascularization surgery. Using the above seven factors to jointly predict the risk of PPCs in patients undergoing one-stop coronary revascularization surgery, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed an area under the curve (AUC) =0.873, 95% CI: 0.835-0.911, sensitivity: 84.81%, and specificity: 75.82%; the predictive model was shown to be effective. Patients undergoing HCR surgery with advanced age, high BMI, a history of PCI surgery, one-lung volume ventilation, inhalation of high concentration oxygen, use of PEEP, and prolonged single lung ventilation are more prone to PPCs.

Postoperative pulmonary complications in adult surgical patients in low- to middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Postoperative pulmonary complications in adult surgical patients in low- to middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis