Comparison of the effect of continuous positive airway pressure and blowing bottles on functional residual capacity after abdominal surgery.
In two groups of comparable patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery, functional residual capacity (FRC) was measured preoperatively and on the first 2 days after surgery. One group was treated by regular application of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the other group by bottle blowing (BB). In both groups there was a significant reduction of FRC on the first postoperative day. BB and CPAP increased FRC preoperatively by approximately 50%. Postoperative CPAP or BB increased FRC towards the preoperative value. However, 10 min after the treatment was stopped, FRC was not different from the pretreatment level. In 4 healthy subjects the resistive work of breathing produced by CPAP or BB was measured. Both treatments increased mainly expiratory and total resistive work of breathing. BB resulted in especially high expiratory and total resistive work. It is concluded that CPAP and BB increase temporarily the reduced FRC after abdominal surgery. CPAP was much better tolerated by the patients due to the lower resistive work of breathing.
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005652:Functional Residual Capacity; D006801:Humans; D007384:Intermittent Positive-Pressure Breathing; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*