Each year 230 million patients around the globe are undergoing major surgical procedures carried out under anesthesia. Avoiding potential post-operative complications related to anesthesia is a major challenge, as nearly all lungs risk damage under anesthetic.
A recent study found that 90% of all patients who had surgery were affected by atelectasis[1] -a complete or partial collapse of a lung or lung lobe when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the lung become deflated. This happens regardless of gender, age, health condition or length of surgery.
Keeping the patient’s lungs healthier during anesthesia decrease the risk of potential post-operative complications such as hypoxemia (tissues not oxygenated adequately), pneumonia, local inflammatory response and ventilator induced lung injury.
As lung recruitment maneuvers still are considered complicated and time-consuming, the latest improvement added to Getinge´s anesthesia system Flow-i, is an automated and stepwise lung recruitment function. In just two touches on the display, the recruitment is started and real-time changes and trends appear on screen.
“By using lung recruitment maneuvers, you can positively affect your patients’ postoperative health. This is why we made lung recruitment easier with our new function on Flow-i,” says Miray Kärnekull, MD, Portfolio Manager, Getinge.
Learn more about Getinge’s anesthesia products and solutions.
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[1] Tusman G, Bohm SH, Warner DO, Sprung J: Atelectasis and perioperative pulmonary complications in high-risk patients, Curr Opin Anesthesiol 2012, Feb;25:1-10