title: Continuous positive airway pressure effect on functional residual capacity, vital capacity and its subdivisions.
abstract: Thirty-four otherwise healthy patients having to undergo elective upper abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to two equal groups. In the treatment group, constant positive airway pressure (CPAP) with an expiratory pressure of 12 cm H2O was applied at one hour following extubation, and at daily intervals for the first five days following surgery for a continuous period of three hours. The control group received no CPAP treatment. All patients were given postoperative physiotherapy. In patients who received postoperative CPAP with an end-expiratory pressure of 12 cm H2O, marked normalization of pulmonary function was noted.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lindner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lotz
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Ahnefeld
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005105:Expiratory Reserve Volume; D005260:Female; D005652:Functional Residual Capacity; D006801:Humans; D007321:Inspiratory Reserve Volume; D007385:Intermittent Positive-Pressure Ventilation; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D014797:Vital Capacity