A comparison of two-lung high frequency positive pressure ventilation and one-lung ventilation plus 5 cm H2O non-ventilated lung CPAP, in patients undergoing anaesthesia for oesophagectomy

Abstract

A randomised prospective controlled study was conducted during a one-year period on patients scheduled for oesophagectomy via a right thoracotomy approach. Twenty-two patients received one-lung ventilation (OLV group) and twenty patients received high frequency positive pressure ventilation (HFPPV group). Episodic hypoxaemia (SaO2<90% for >30 seconds, Fi(O2) 1.0) occurred in eleven patients in the OLV group and six patients in the HFPPV group. No patient in the HFPPV group had a severe desaturation episode (SaO2<80%, Fi(O2) 1.0) compared with nine patients in the OLV group (P<0.05). The mean peak inspiratory pressure and average mean airway pressure were significantly lower in the HFPPV group 28.8 (SD 7.7) and 7.2 (SD 2.4) cm H2O respectively, compared with the OLV group, 40.0 (SD 9.9) and 11.9 (SD 4.9) cm H2O (P<0.05). Two-lung high frequency positive pressure ventilation has some advantages over one-lung ventilation during the thoracotomy phase of oesophagectomy because it is easy to administer, does not significantly compromise the surgical exposure and is associated with fewer severe undesirable physiological disturbances.