ObjectiveTo compare the effects of flow-controlled ventilation (FCV) and conventional pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) on postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) within 7 days after elective thoracic surgery. Methods Patients scheduled for elective thoracic surgery at Langzhong People's Hospital between August 2024 and June 2025 were enrolled and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the FCV group or PCV group. The primary outcome was the incidence of PPCs within 7 days postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included systemic inflammatory factor levels at 24 hours postoperatively, numerical rating scale (NRS) pain scores at 3 days postoperatively, post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay duration, and length of postoperative hospitalization. Mechanical power (MP), oxygenation index, partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2), peak pressure (Ppeak), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), tidal volume (VT), respiratory rate (RR), and minute ventilation (MV) were compared between groups at 30 and 60 minutes after one-lung ventilation (OLV). Differences in MP between patients with and without PPCs were analyzed, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate the predictive value of MP for PPCs using area under the curve (AUC). Results A total of 60 patients were included: 30 in the FCV group [17 males, 13 females, mean age (57.4±10.0) years] and 30 in the PCV group [18 males, 12 females; mean age (58.7±11.2) years]. The FCV group demonstrated a significantly lower incidence of PPCs compared to the PCV group (16.7% vs. 40.0%, P=0.045) and reduced systemic pro-inflammatory factor levels at 24 hours postoperatively. No statistically significant difference was observed in NRS pain scores between groups at 3 days postoperatively. Additionally, the FCV group showed shorter PACU stay duration [(51.8±11.5) min vs. (66.2±24.5) min, P=0.008] and reduced postoperative hospitalization time [(7.8±1.2) d vs. (8.9±2.5) d, P=0.034]. At both 30 and 60 minutes after OLV initiation, the FCV group exhibited lower MP, MV, and RR values alongside higher oxygenation indices and VT compared to the PCV group, while PaCO2 and PEEP showed no significant differences. Although Ppeak did not differ significantly between groups at 30 minutes after OLV, it was lower in the PCV group at 60 minutes. Patients who developed PPCs consistently demonstrated higher MP values than those without PPCs at both time points. ROC curve analysis revealed excellent predictive performance of MP for PPCs occurrence within 7 days postoperatively (30-minute OLV: AUC=0.97, P<0.001; 60-minute OLV: AUC=0.93, P<0.001). Conclusion Compared with PCV, implementing FCV during OLV significantly reduces PPCs incidence. This protective effect may be attributed to reduced MP, improved oxygenation, enhanced ventilatory efficiency, and attenuated inflammatory responses. As a lung-protective ventilatory strategy, FCV effectively promotes postoperative recovery in patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification Ⅰ-Ⅲ.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) combined with general anesthesia (GA) versus GA alone on intrapulmonary shunting during one-lung ventilation (OLV). Methods We searched the Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2009), the specialized trials registered in the Cochrane anesthesia group, PubMed (1966 to Dec. 2009), EMbase (1966 to Dec. 2008), CBM (1978 to Dec. 2009), VIP (1989 to Dec. 2009), CNKI (1915 to Dec. 2009), and handsearched Clinical Anesthesia Journal and Chinese Anesthesia Journal. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the effectiveness of TEA combined with GA versus GA alone on intrapulmonary shunting during OLV were included, The methodological quality of included RCTs was evaluated by two reviewers independently, Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.0 software. Results Ten RCTs involving 506 patients were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that there were no significant differences in intrapulmonary shunting during OLV at different times-points of 5, 15, 20, 30, and 60 minutes after OLV. Conclusion Both TEA combined with GA and GA alone have the same Security during OLV. But owing to the low quality and small sample size of the included studies, further more well-designed, large sample size RCTs are needed.
Objective
To evaluate the effects of low-dose epinephrine on cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) and awakening time during one-lung ventilation (OLV) for thoracic surgery.
Methods
Thirty consecutive patients undergoing lobectomy from March to July 2016 in our hospital were randomly divided into an epinephrine group (n=15, 8 males and 7 females at an average age of 58.70±11.40 years) or a saline group (n=15, 7 males and 8 females at an average age of 57.00±11.40 years). They were continuously infused with 0.01 μg/(kg·min) epinephrine or saline after general induction. Hemodynamics was maintained ±20% of the baseline value. All patients were ventilated by a pressure control mode during OLV with tidal volume of 5-8 ml/kg and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (EtCO2) of 35-45 mm Hg. Regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) was monitored using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) continuously.
Results
Compared with the saline group, the epinephrine group had a high rScO2 during OLV, with a statisitical significance at OLV 40 min and 50 min (67.76%±4.64% vs. 64.08%±3.07%, P=0.016; 67.25%±4.34% vs. 64.20%±3.37%, P=0.040). In addition, the awakening time of patients in the epinephrine group was shorter than that of the saline group (P=0.004), and the awakening time was associated with the duration of low-dose rScO2 (r=0.374).
Conclusion
Continuous infusion of 0.01 μg/(kg·min) could improve the rScO2 during OLV and shorten awakening time in thoracic surgery.
Objective To study the effects of hemodilution on oxygenation during one-lung ventilation(OLV).Methods Forty patients undergoing lung surgery with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease（COPD）were enrolled.The study was performed in the supine position before surgery.The tracheas were intubated with a double-lumen tube.OLV was initiated for 15 min.After 15 min of OLV，arterial and venous blood gas samples were collected and analyzed.The cardiac output (CO) was measured.Two-lung ventilation was reinstituted，and hemodilution was performed (6% hydroxyethyl starch，10 mL/kg).Subsequently，OLV was performed again for 15 min.Then arterial and venous blood gas samples were collected and analyzed.The cardiac output (CO) was measured.Results Hemodilution resulted in a significant and similar decrease in HB concentration in patients both with or without COPD.However，hemodilution resulted in a significant decrease in PaO2 in COPD patients rather than subjects without COPD.Conclusion Mild hemodilution impairs gas exchange during OLV in COPD patients.
