Individualized PEEP and Pulmonary Complications in On-Pump CABG

Summary

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality after major surgery and are frequently observed in cardiac surgery patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). These complications are associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation, longer intensive care unit and hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and higher mortality (1,2).

Intraoperative lung-protective ventilation strategies have traditionally focused on individual parameters such as low tidal volume, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), plateau pressure, and driving pressure. However, the effects of these parameters on postoperative pulmonary outcomes in cardiac surgery patients remain unclear. In particular, PEEP- and driving pressure-guided approaches are controversial in terms of feasibility and safety in patients undergoing CPB, who may be hemodynamically vulnerable.

Mechanical power is a comprehensive parameter that reflects the total energy delivered to the respiratory system per unit of time by integrating ventilatory variables such as tidal volume, airway pressures, respiratory rate, and flow. Therefore, mechanical power may provide a more comprehensive assessment of the mechanical load applied to the lungs compared with individual ventilatory parameters. Previous studies have reported that higher mechanical power values may be associated with lung injury, postoperative pulmonary complications, and mortality (3).

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of monitoring mechanical power during perioperative mechanical ventilation on postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. The study hypothesis is that a mechanical power-based ventilation approach may reduce the incidence of PPCs compared with strategies based on conventional ventilation parameters.

Conditions

• Cardiac Surgery
• Mechanical Power
• Postoperative Pulmonary Complications (PPCs)

Interventions

OTHER

Driving pressure-based personalized PEEP strategy

After hemodynamic stability is achieved, the ventilator will be switched to volume-controlled mode with 6 ml/kg tidal volume , and a recruitment maneuver will be performed by gradually increasing PEEP to 20 cmH₂O. Subsequently, during the decremental PEEP trial, PEEP will be reduced by 2 cmH₂O every 20 seconds down to 6 cmH₂O, and ΔP (Pplat-PEEP) will be calculated at each step. The PEEP level associated with the lowest ΔP on the ΔP-PEEP curve will be identified, a second recruitment maneuver will be performed, and PEEP will then be fixed at this level. Before sternotomy, the minimum PEEP value that provides the lowest driving pressure will be determined, and this value will be maintained throughout the perioperative period, except during cardiopulmonary bypass.

OTHER

Conventional lung protective mechanical ventilation strategy

In volume-controlled mechanical ventilation, tidal volume will be set at 6 mL/kg and PEEP will be fixed at 5 cmH₂O. Ventilation will be maintained with these settings throughout the perioperative period, except during cardiopulmonary bypass. Mechanical power values will also be calculated and recorded during all these periods.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bursa City Hospital

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• eralp cevikkalp · Burs City Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-05-15

Primary Completion

2026-06-15

Completion

2026-07-15

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations