Abstract:Objective To investigate the effect of early positive end expiratory pressure on respiratory function after coronary artery bypass graft. Methods A total of 80 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting under general anesthesia from January 2014 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Exactly 40 patients with positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) (8 cm H2O) were enrolled as observation group. Another 40 patients with conventional PEEP (5 cm H2O) were enrolled as control group. PO2, PCO2, pH, bicarbonate, standard base excess, initial tidal volume, peak airway pressure, mean airway pressure, mechanical ventilation time, and change of PEEP and oxygen concentration were recorded. Complications including pulmonary edema, lung injury, perioperative respiratory insufficiency, hypotension, two intubations, tracheotomy as well as systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and ICU stay time were identified. Results Initial PEEP, third postoperative blood gas analysis (pH, PO2, PCO2, sBE, CHCO3 -), frequency of readjusting PEEP and oxygen concentration, incidence of hypotension, mechanical ventilation time, ICU stay time, and perioperative respiratory dysfunction were dramatically different between the two groups (P < 0.05). No significant differences in the number of initial tidal volume, peak airway pressure, mean airway pressure, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, lung injury, pulmonary edema, the number of two intubation, and the number of tracheotomy were identified (P > 0.05). Conclusions Early high PEEP treatment exerts better lung protective effect for obese patients after coronary artery bypass graft.