[Alveolar recruitment maneuver to reverse hypoxemia in the immediate postoperative period of cardiac surgery.].

Background And Objectives: To evaluate the effects of the alveolar recruitment maneuver on oxygenation and exhaled tidal volume, in patients with hypoxemia, in the immediate postoperative period of cardiac surgery.

Methods: This is a prospective, consecutive study. Among the 469 cardiac surgeries performed from February to April 2006, 40 patients (8.