JOURNAL HOME CME HOME THIS MONTH PAST ISSUES ETOC COLLECTIONS
AUTHORS REVIEWERS EDITORIAL BOARD FEEDBACK RSS HELP
A&A International Anesthesia Research Society
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a colleague
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (20)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Perilli, V.
Right arrow Articles by Ranieri, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Perilli, V.
Right arrow Articles by Ranieri, R.
Anesth Analg 2000;91:1520-1525
© 2000 International Anesthesia Research Society

GENERAL ARTICLES

The Effects of the Reverse Trendelenburg Position on Respiratory Mechanics and Blood Gases in Morbidly Obese Patients During Bariatric Surgery

Valter Perilli, MD, Liliana Sollazzi, MD, Patrizia Bozza, MD, Cristina Modesti, MD, Angelo Chierichini, MD, Roberto Maria Tacchino, MD, and Raffaela Ranieri, MD

Departments of *Anesthesiology and {dagger}Surgery, Catholic University of Sacred Heart Rome, Rome, Italy

Address correspondence and reprint requests to V. Perilli, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart Rome, Largo A. Gemelli, 8, 00168 Roma, Italy.

Anesthesia adversely affects respiratory function, particularly in morbidly obese patients. Although many studies have been performed to determine the optimal ventilatory settings in these patients, this question has not been answered. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of reverse Trendelenburg position (RTP) on gas exchange and respiratory mechanics in 15 obese patients undergoing biliopancreatic diversion. A standardized anesthetic regimen was used and patients were examined at standard times: 1) after tracheal intubation, 2) after laparotomy, 3) after positioning of subcostal retractors, 4) with retractors in RTP. The measurements of respiratory mechanics were repeated for a wide range of tidal volumes by using the technique of rapid occlusion during constant flow inflation. We noted a wide alveolar-arterial oxygen difference [P(A-a)O2] in all patients, particularly during Phase 3. When the patients were placed in RTP, P(A-a)O2 showed a significant improvement and a return toward baseline values. As for mechanics, total respiratory system compliance was significantly higher in RTP than in the other phases. In conclusion, our data suggest that RTP is an appropriate intraoperative posture for obese subjects because it causes minimal arterial blood pressure changes and improves oxygenation.

Implications: The aim of the study was to assess whether the reverse Trendelenburg position could improve pulmonary gas exchange in obese patients undergoing abdominal surgical procedures. Our work may have a clinical value because few studies deal with this issue.






Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999 HighWire Press
Copyright © 2000 by the International Anesthesia Research Society.