Clinical Research Directory

Peak Airway Pressure and Respiratory Mechanics During PRVC Ventilation in Laparoscopic Surgery

This study aims to evaluate peak airway pressure and respiratory mechanics during pressure-regulated volume control (PRVC) ventilation in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Pneumoperitoneum and patient positioning during laparoscopic procedures can significantly affect respiratory mechanics, including airway pressures and lung compliance. The study will assess changes in peak airway pressure, dynamic compliance, and other ventilatory parameters during different intraoperative phases. The findings are expected to provide insights into optimizing ventilatory strategies to improve patient safety and minimize ventilator-associated complications during laparoscopic surgery.

Cohort Study of Intraoperative Lung Protective Ventilation Trends in a Large Canadian Health Authority

The goal of this observational study is to ascertain the practice patterns and predictors in performing lung protective ventilation as per clinical guidelines for adult patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery in Fraser Health Authority, a large Canadian authority in the lower mainland of British Columbia, Canada. In particular, the investigators explore changes before/after the COVID-19 pandemic. The main questions it aims to answer are: * In this population, what is the general compliance rate to lung protective ventilation * In this population, what are the predictors of compliance before/after the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a retrospective study using linked patient data from two databases in the health region: the anesthesia informational management system for intraoperative data, and the electronic medical record for perioperative data. Rationale for study: Breathing problems after surgery affect 5% to 33% of patients and can lead to serious issues like lung infections, breathing failure, and longer hospital stays, with up to a 20% risk of death within 30 days for serious cases. A proven way to reduce these risks is lung protective ventilation (LPV), a technique used during surgery where the ventilator delivers smaller breaths based on clinical guidelines and calculated using a person's ideal body weight, while applying gentle pressure to keep the lungs slightly open. While this approach has been widely adopted in intensive care units over the past 20 years, it's less commonly used in operating rooms, with fewer than half of surgeries using it. Barriers include suboptimal default ventilator settings, patients at extremes of weight, and misunderstandings of LPV among clinicians. During the COVID-19 pandemic, LPV use increased for patients with COVID-related lung problems, showing improved survival rates in ICUs. However, it's unclear if this practice carried over to surgical patients at-large or continued after the pandemic. Most studies on LPV during surgery have been conducted outside Canada, where healthcare practices and education may differ from within Canada. To address these gaps, the investigators aim to study LPV use during surgery in a large Canadian health system, identify factors that influence its use, and examine trends during and after the COVID pandemic. This research will help improve patient care by promoting the use of this effective technique in Canadian operating rooms.