Intermittent positive pressure ventilation with constant positive end-expiratory pressure and alveolar recruitment manoeuvre during inhalation anaesthesia in horses undergoing surgery for colic, and its influence on the early recovery period.

Objective: To compare, ventilation using intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) with constant positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and alveolar recruitment manoeuvres (RM) to classical IPPV without PEEP on gas exchange during anaesthesia and early recovery.

Study Design: Prospective randomized study.

Animals: Twenty-four warm-blood horses, weight mean 548 ± SD 49 kg undergoing surgery for colic.