Anesthesiology
-
Arterial oxygenation is often impaired during one-lung ventilation, due to both pulmonary shunt and atelectasis. The use of low tidal volume (VT) (5 ml/kg predicted body weight) in the context of a lung-protective approach exacerbates atelectasis. This study sought to determine the combined physiologic effects of positive end-expiratory pressure and low VT during one-lung ventilation. ⋯ During low VT one-lung ventilation, high positive end-expiratory pressure levels improve pulmonary function without increasing high V/Q and reduce driving pressure.