Anesthesiology
-
Multicenter Study
Mechanical power during general anesthesia and postoperative respiratory failure: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.
Mechanical power during ventilation estimates the energy delivered to the respiratory system through integrating inspiratory pressures, tidal volume, and respiratory rate into a single value. It has been linked to lung injury and mortality in the acute respiratory distress syndrome, but little evidence exists regarding whether the concept relates to lung injury in patients with healthy lungs. This study hypothesized that higher mechanical power is associated with greater postoperative respiratory failure requiring reintubation in patients undergoing general anesthesia. ⋯ Higher mechanical power during ventilation is statistically associated with a greater risk of postoperative respiratory failure requiring reintubation.