Different positive end expiratory pressure and tidal volume controls on lung protection and inflammatory factors during surgical anesthesia.

Background: Mechanical ventilation can lead to the severe impairment of the metabolic pathway of alveolar surfactants, inactivating alveolar surfactants and significantly reducing lung-chest compliance. The cardiopulmonary function of elderly patients usually reduced to a certain extent, and there are lung complications after surgical anesthesia, just like lung barotrauma caused by mechanical ventilation, atelectasis and postoperative hypoxemia.

Aim: To investigate the effects of different positive end expiratory pressures (PEEPs) and tidal volumes (VTs) on respiratory function, the degree of the inflammatory response and hemodynamic indexes in patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia.

Methods: A total of 120 patients undergoing surgery for gastric or colon cancer under general anesthesia in Xinghua People's Hospital from January 2017 to January 2021 were randomly divided into Group A and Group B, with 60 cases in each group. The ventilation mode in Group A was VT (6.0 mL/kg) + PEEP (5.0 cmHO), while that in Group B was VT (6.0 mL/kg) + PEEP (8.0 cmHO). Blood gas parameters, respiratory mechanical parameters, inflammatory response indicators, hemodynamic indicators and related complications were compared between the two groups.

Results: There were no significant differences in PaCO, PaO, oxygen or the examined indexes at T0 between group A and group B ( > 0.05). The measured PaO value of patients in group A at T3 was higher than that in group B, and the difference was significant ( < 0.05). There were no significant differences in peak airway pressure (P), mean airway pressure or dynamic pulmonary compliance (Cdyn) at T0 between group A and group B ( > 0.05). The measured P value of patients in group A at T1 was higher than that in group B, and the difference was significant ( < 0.05). The measured Cdyn value at T1 and T2 was greater than that in group B ( < 0.05). Before surgery, there were no significant differences in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 or IL-10 between group A and group B ( > 0.05). After 4 h, the measured values of TNF-α and IL-6 in group A were lower than those in group B, and the differences were significant ( < 0.05). The IL-10 Level in group A was higher than that in group B ( < 0.05). At T0, there were no significant differences in cardiac output, cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI) or mean arterial pressure between group A and group B ( > 0.05). The measured values of CI and SVI at T2 in patients in group A were higher than those in group B, and the differences were significant ( < 0.05).

Conclusion: For patients undergoing surgery for gastric or colon cancer under general anesthesia, the VT (6.0 mL/kg) + PEEP (5.0 cmHO) regimen was more effective than the VT (6.0 mL/kg) + PEEP (8.0 cmHO) regimen in protecting the lung function and ventilatory function of patients, and it had better effects on maintaining hemodynamic stability and reducing inflammatory reactions.