PaO2 during anaesthesia and years of smoking predict late postoperative hypoxaemia and complications after upper abdominal surgery in patients without preoperative cardiopulmonary dysfunction

Abstract

The incidence of late postoperative hypoxaemia and complications after upper abdominal surgery is 20-50% among cardiopulmonary healthy patients. Atelectasis development during anaesthesia and surgery is the main hypothesis to explain postoperative hypoxaemia. This study tested the predictive value of PaO219 kPa during anaesthesia with F(I)O2=0.33 exhibited a risk, irrespective of PEEP status, of suffering late prolonged hypoxaemia of 0% (0;23) and patients with PaO2<19 kPa a risk of 52% (32;71), P<0.005. Having smoked more than 20 pack-years was associated with a 47% (19;75) higher incidence of postoperative complications than having smoked less than 20 pack-years, P<0.006. PaO2 during anaesthesia and smoked pack-years provide new tools evaluating patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery in order to predict the patients who develop late postoperative hypoxaemia and complications.