[Weaning postoperative artificial respiration in cardiac surgery patients, CPAP versus ZEEP]

Pulmonary lesions following extracorporeal circulation (ECC) are said to be responsible for decreased functional residual capacity (FRC). Weaning from controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) in the postoperative period is commonly performed by a CPAP system in order to restore the impaired oxygen exchange. Testing the superiority of CPAP against insufflation at atmospheric pressure (ZEEP), 33 patients after coronary bypass grafting (CABG) underwent from the end of CMV till extubation either CPAP or ZEEP in a randomized distribution. Data sampling included respiratory rate, paO2, paCO2 and AaDO2-Quotient (gas exchange), as well as HR, MAP, CVP and LAP (hemodynamics). None of the obtained data showed statistical significant differences between the CPAP and the ZEEP group. Therefore there appears to be no necessity for CPAP when weaning CABG patients, due to the absence of previous lung damage and the short time range of intubation and CMV.