Pulmonary complications with individualised vs. fixed positive end‐expiratory pressure in older patients recovering from lung cancer surgery: a randomised trial

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative pulmonary complications are common after lung cancer surgery in older adults. Individualised positive end-expiratory pressure may optimise intra-operative lung mechanics, but its effect on postoperative pulmonary complications is uncertain. We hypothesised that individualised positive end-expiratory pressure would reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications compared with a fixed positive end-expiratory pressure in older patients (age ≥ 60 years) undergoing lung cancer surgery. METHODS: group). The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications. Secondary outcomes included duration of postoperative hospital stay; extrapulmonary complications; 30-day postoperative complications; driving pressure; and oxygenation index. RESULTS: group 50/197 (25%), risk ratio 1.09, 95%CI 0.79-1.52, p = 0.60). DISCUSSION: Electrical impedance tomography-guided individualised positive end-expiratory pressure reduced driving pressures and improved intra-operative oxygenation but did not decrease the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in older adults undergoing lung cancer surgery.