British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Hypercapnia and surgical site infection: a randomized trial.
Tissue oxygenation is a strong predictor of surgical site infection (SSI). Mild intraoperative hypercapnia increases peripheral, gastrointestinal, and splanchnic tissue oxygenation and perfusion. Hypercapnia also has anti-inflammatory effects. However, it is unknown whether hypercapnia reduces SSI risk. We tested the hypothesis that mild intraoperative hypercapnia reduces the risk of SSI in patients having colon resection surgery. ⋯ Mild hypercapnia appears to have little or-possibly-no ability to prevent SSI after colon resection. Other strategies for reducing SSI risk should thus take priority.