RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the influence of repeated recruitment manoeuvres (RRMs) on lung injury in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: Forty-one ventilated patients with severe ARDS were selected for this study. Recruitment manoeuvres (RMs) were conducted with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP; 30 cm H2O for 40 seconds). Recruitment manoeuvres were repeated every two hours for all three groups. Changes in haemodynamics, pulmonary compliance, gas exchange and extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) were monitored before RM (pre-RM), 10 minutes after each RM, and four hours after RM3 (4 hours post-RRM). Pulmonary inflammatory factors (tumour necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] and interleukin [IL]-6 and -10) were also analysed. RESULTS: Compared with those in pre-RM, pulmonary compliance, oxygenation index (ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen [PaO2/FiO2]) and EVLWI remarkably improved in RM1, RM2, RM3 and 4 hours post-RRM (p < 0.05). The PaO2/FiO2 ratio increased significantly in RM1 and RM3 (p < 0.05). Extravascular lung water index decreased significantly in RM1 compared with that in RM3 and 4 hours post-RRM (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in cytokines. CONCLUSION: Repeated recruitment manoeuvres during lung-protected ventilation can improve pulmonary compliance and oxygenation and significantly decrease extravascular lung water in ARDS patients. Lung injury was not worsened by RRMs in patients with severe ARDS.