Intermittent assisted ventilation. An assessment using the Retec breathing assistor

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Respiratory Physiology
• Medical Device Evaluation

Background:

• Transthoracic repair of hiatus hernia can impact respiratory function.
• Postoperative respiratory support is crucial for patient recovery.
• Simple ventilator assistors are being explored for non-invasive respiratory support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the usability and efficacy of a simple ventilator assistor in patients after transthoracic hiatus hernia repair.
• To evaluate the impact of the device on postoperative respiratory function.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving six patients undergoing transthoracic repair of hiatus hernia.
• Three patients utilized a simple ventilator assistor postoperatively.
• Respiratory function was assessed by measuring arterial oxygen tension, forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEVI).

Main Results:

• The ventilator assistor was reported as easy and convenient to use.
• No demonstrable improvement in respiratory function was observed in the pilot study.
• Five patients did not reach preoperative arterial oxygen tension levels by 10 days postoperation.
• All patients exhibited reduced FVC and FEVI compared to preoperative values.

Conclusions:

• The simple ventilator assistor, despite its ease of use, did not provide measurable respiratory benefits in this small pilot study.
• Further investigation is needed to determine the potential role and effectiveness of such devices in postoperative respiratory management.
• Postoperative respiratory function remained suboptimal in most patients, highlighting the need for effective respiratory interventions.