Lung protective ventilation strategy to reduce postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: A randomized double blinded clinical trial

Study objectiveTo evaluate the effects of ventilation with low tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) on postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RARC) for bladder cancer.DesignA prospective randomized double-blinded study.SettingA single center trial in a comprehensive tertiary hospital from January 2017 to January 2019.PatientsA total of 258 patients undergoing RARC for bladder cancer.InterventionsPatients were randomly assigned to receive either lung-protective ventilation (LPV group) tidal volume 6 ml/ kg predicated body weight (PBW) + PEEP 7 cmH₂O] or nonprotective ventilation (control group) (tidal volume 9 ml/ kg PBW without PEEP) during anesthesia.MeasurementsThe primary outcome was the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) during the first 90 days after surgery. The secondary outcomes were extubation time, oxygenation index (OI) after extubation and at postoperative day 1 in blood gas.Main resultsThe incidence of PPCs at postoperative day1, 2 and 3 were lower in LPV group 26.8% vs. 47.2%, odds ratio (OR) 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.24–0.69, P = 0.0007, 21.3% vs. 43.3%, OR 0.36, 95% CI, 0.20–0.61, P = 0.0002, 14.2% vs. 27.5%, OR0.43, 95%CI, 0.23–0.82, P = 0.0087, respectively], while no differences were observed at day 7 and 28 (3.9% vs. 9.4%, P = 0.0788, 0% vs. 1.6%, P = 0.4980, respectively). No PPCs were observed at postoperative day 90 in both groups. Furthermore, immediately after extubating and at postoperative day 1, OI was significantly higher in LPV group compared with control group 390(337–467) vs. 343(303–420), P = 0.0005, 406.7(73.0) vs. 425.5(74.7), P = 0.0440, respectively]. Patients in LPV group had a significant shorter extubation time after operation compared with control group 38(33–54) vs. 35(25–46), P = 0.0012].ConclusionLPV combining low tidal volume and PEEP during anesthesia for RARC may decrease the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications.