Effect of Low Tidal Volume Ventilation in Improving Oxygenation and Thus Reducing Acute Lung Injury in the Cardiac Surgical Patient

Methods- A single center randomized controlled trial was undertaken in 149 patients comparing ventilation with 6 ml/kg TV to ventilation with 10 ml/kg TV in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Study ventilator settings were applied immediately after induction of anesthesia and continued throughout surgery and the subsequent Intensive Care Unit stay. The primary endpoint of the study was time to extubation. Secondary endpoints included the proportion of patients extubated at 6 hours, indices of lung mechanics and gas exchange as well as patient clinical outcomes.