Impact of alveolar recruitment maneuver in the postoperative period of videolaparoscopic bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Pulmonary complications in bariatric surgery are common and, therefore, alveolar recruitment maneuvers (ARM) have been used to prevent or reduce them in the postoperative period (POP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of ARM performed intraoperatively in patients undergoing bariatric surgery by videolaparoscopy in the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications.

METHODS

Randomized clinical trial with 30 patients divided into control group (CG) and experimental group (EG), with analysis of spirometric, ventilatory, hemodynamic, and radiographic variables. ARM was performed in EG with positive end expiratory pressure of 30 cmH₂O and inspiratory plateau pressure of 45 cmH₂O for 2 minutes after pneumoperitoneum deflation.

RESULTS

We observed a significant decrease in spirometric values (p ≤ 0.001) and higher incidence of pulmonary complications on chest radiograph (p=0.02) in CG, as well as significant improvement in dyspnoea Borg scale (p ≤ 0.001) in EG.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that ARM is a safe and effective technique when used for prevention of pulmonary complications in patients undergoing bariatric surgery, resulting in more favorable radiological and spirometric findings in the experimental group compared to the control group in the PO.