Alveolar recruitment manoeuvre results in improved pulmonary function in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery: a randomised trial.

Perioperative ventilation is an important challenge of anaesthesia, especially in obese patients: body mass index is correlated with reduction of the pulmonary volume and they develop significantly more perioperative atelectasis and pulmonary complications. The alveolar recruitment manoeuvre is the most effective technique to reverse atelectasis. However, the clinical benefit on lung function in the perioperative period is not clear.

Low exogenous lactate clearance as an early predictor of mortality in normolactatemic critically ill septic patients.

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic value of lactate clearance and lactate production in severely ill septic patients with normal or mildly elevated blood lactate concentration. DESIGN Prospective, observational study.

Setting: Nineteen-bed mixed medicosurgical intensive care unit.