Does video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery deteriorate postoperative pulmonary gas exchange in spontaneous pneumothorax patients?
Bullectomy via VATS was less deleterious to pulmonary gas exchange. Axillary thoracotomy caused worsening of gas exchange postoperatively due to incisional pain, chest wall deformity, and peripheral atelectasis.
A decremental PEEP trial identifies a PEEP setting that sustains for 4 h the oxygenation benefit of a 40-cm H2O, 40-s lung-recruitment maneuver.