Perioperative lung-protective ventilation strategy reduces postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing thoracic and major abdominal surgery

The occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications is strongly associated with increased hospital mortality and prolonged postoperative hospital stays. Although protective lung ventilation is commonly used in the intensive care unit, low tidal volume ventilation in the operating room is not a routine strategy. Low tidal volume ventilation, moderate positive end-expiratory pressure, and repeated recruitment maneuvers, particularly for high-risk patients undergoing major abdominal surgery, can reduce postoperative pulmonary complications. Facilitating perioperative bundle care by combining prophylactic and postoperative positive-pressure ventilation with intraoperative lung-protective ventilation may be helpful to reduce postoperative pulmonary complications.