Airway Pressure Release Ventilation an Effective Primary Mode of Post-Operative Ventilation for Patients Undergoing Open-Heart Surgery

Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV) is a viable mode of postoperative ventilation in adult post-cardiac surgery patients, according to a study published in Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia.

In this study, researchers assessed 90 postoperative cardiac surgical patients, who were randomized into three groups: Synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation-pressure controlled (SIMV-PC), APRV, and SIMV-volume control (VC), consisting of 30 patients in each group. The researchers evaluated lung compliance and serial arterial blood gas at regular intervals, using the measure PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio as an indirect indicator for lung function improvement.

According to the results, there was a statistically notable improvement in PaO2/FiO2 ratio in the APRV group versus the other two groups. The researchers also observed non clinically significant improvement in lung compliance after six hours of ventilation and lesser duration of ventilation in the APRV group.

“Our study suggests that APRV can be a useful alternative primary mode of ventilation to improve lung compliance and oxygenation in adult post-cardiac surgical patients,” the researchers concluded.