Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026

Closed Chest Biventricular Pressure-Volume Loop Recordings with Admittance Catheters in a Porcine Model
Published on: May 18, 2021
Right ventricular function during one-lung ventilation: effects of pressure-controlled and volume-controlled
Abdullah M Al Shehri1, Mohamed R El-Tahan2, Roshdi Al Metwally2
1Department of Cardiology, King Fahd Hospital of the University of Dammam, Al Khubar, Saudi Arabia.
Objectives:
To test the effects of pressure-controlled (PCV) and volume-controlled (VCV) ventilation during one-lung ventilation (OLV) for thoracic surgery on right ventricular (RV) function.
Design:
A prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover study.
Setting:
A single university hospital.
Participants:
Fourteen pairs of consecutive patients scheduled for elective thoracotomy.
Interventions:
Patients were assigned randomly to ventilate the dependent lung with PCV or VCV mode, each in a randomized crossover order using tidal volume of 6 mL/kg, I: E ratio 1: 2.5, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5 cm H2O and respiratory rate adjusted to maintain normocapnia.
Measurements And Main Results:
Intraoperative changes in RV function (systolic and early diastolic tricuspid annular velocity (TAV), end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV) and fractional area changes (FAC)), airway pressures, compliance and oxygenation index were recorded. The use of PCV during OLV resulted in faster systolic (10.1±2.39 vs. 5.8±1.67 cm/s, respectively), diastolic TAV (9.2±1.99 vs. 4.6±1.42 cm/s, respectively) (p<0.001) and compliance and lower ESV, EDV and airway pressures (p<0.05) than during the use of VCV. Oxygenation indices were similar during the use of VCV and PCV.
Conclusions:
The use of PCV offers more improved RV function than the use of VCV during OLV for open thoracotomy. These results apply specifically to younger patients with good ventricular and pulmonary functions.
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