The effects of recruitment maneuver during noninvasive ventilation after coronary bypass grafting: A randomized trial

Pulmonary impairment is a common complication after coronary artery bypass graft procedure and may be prevented or treated by noninvasive ventilation. Recruitment maneuvers include sustained airway pressure with high levels of positive end-expiratory pressure in patients with hypoxemia, favoring homogeneous pulmonary ventilation and oxygenation. This study aimed to evaluate whether noninvasive ventilation with recruitment maneuver could safely improve oxygenation in patients with atelectasis and hypoxemia who underwent a coronary artery bypass grafting procedure.

Thirty-four patients admitted to our intensive care unit undergoing mechanical ventilation after surgery, with ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure to fraction of inspired oxygen < 300 and radiologic atelectasis score ≥2, were included. The control group consisted of 16 randomized patients and the recruitment group consisted of 18 patients. After extubation, noninvasive ventilation was applied for 30 minutes 3 times a day with positive end-expiratory pressure of 8 cm H₂O. The recruitment group received recruitment maneuver with positive end-expiratory pressure of 15 cm H₂O and 20 cm H₂O for 2 minutes each during noninvasive ventilation. We analyzed the arterial oxygen partial pressure in room air, radiologic atelectasis score, hemodynamic stability, and adverse events from extubation until discharge.

Arterial oxygen partial pressure increased 12.6% ± 6.8% in the control group and 23.3% ± 8.5% in the recruitment group (P < .001). The radiologic atelectasis score was completely improved for 94.4% of the recruitment group with no adverse events, whereas 87.5% of the control group presented some atelectasis (P < .001).

Noninvasive ventilation with recruitment maneuvers is safe, improves oxygenation, and reduces atelectasis in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass.