An individualized recruitment maneuver for mechanically ventilated patients after cardiac surgery

The recruitment maneuver (RM) has been shown to improve oxygenation for post-cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) patients; however, sustained inflation of the lung gives rise to hypotension. The primary goal of our study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of our proposed RM, defined on the basis of dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn).

Twenty-eight patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with CPB were assigned to two treatment groups: an individualized RM group, in which a pressure equal to 15 ml x real body weight/Cdyn + positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) cmH2O was applied for 15 s; and a control RM group, in which a pressure of 20 cmH2O was applied for 25 s. Arterial blood pressure, cardiac output, pulmonary artery pressure, and heart rate (HR) were monitored. Tidal volume (V(T)), and airway pressure were continuously obtained from an expiratory flow meter and pressure monitor. Blood samples were obtained and analyzed with a blood gas analyzer.

The changes in HR, mean arterial pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure, and cardiac index at the end of the RM were not significantly different between the two groups. The mean airway pressure of sustained inflation was 28.3 +/- 1.3 cmH2O in the individualized RM group. The individualized RM significantly improved the Cdyn and partial pressure arterial oxygen/inspiratory fraction of oxygen (P/F) ratio compared with values in the control RM group (P = 0.026 and P = 0.012, respectively).

The present study indicates that the individualized RM resulted in minimum changes of hemodynamics and brought about improvement in oxygenation and lung compliance.