Effect of position and positive pressure ventilation on functional residual capacity in morbidly obese patients: a randomized trial

Purpose In morbidly obese patients, the position and ventilation strategy used during pre-oxygenation influence the safe non-hypoxic apnea time and the functional residual capacity (FRC). In awake morbidly obese volunteers, we hypothesized that the FRC would be higher after a five-minute period of positive pressure ventilation compared with spontaneous ventilation at zero inspiratory pressure. Methods Using a prospective crossover randomized trial design, obese subjects underwent, in a randomized order, a combination of one of three positions, supine (S), beach chair (BC), and reverse Trendelenburg (RT), and one of two ventilation strategies, spontaneous ventilation at zero inspiratory pressure (ZEEP-SV) or with positive pressure (PP-SV) set to an inspiratory pressure of 8 cmH 2 O, positive end-expiratory pressure of 10 cmH 2 O, and fraction of inspired oxygen of 0.21. Results Seventeen obese volunteers with a mean (standard deviation; SD) body mass index of 50 (8) kg·m −2 were included. Mean (SD) FRC in the three positions (S, BC, RT) was significantly higher using PP-SV compared with ZEEP-SV [2571 (477) vs 2215 (481) mL, respectively; mean difference, 356; 95% confidence interval (CI), 209 to 502; P < 0.001]. Mean (SD) FRC was significantly higher in the RT compared with BC position [2483 (521) vs 2338 (469) mL, respectively; mean difference, 145; 95% CI, 31 to 404; P = 0.01], while there was no difference between S and BC [2359 (519) mL vs 2338 (469) mL, respectively; mean difference, 21; 95% CI, -93 to 135; P = 0.89]. Conclusion In awake morbidly obese volunteers, an increase in the FRC is observed when spontaneous ventilation at zero inspiratory pressure is switched to positive pressure. Compared with S positioning, the BC position had no measurable impact on the FRC. The RT position resulted in an optimal FRC. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02121808). Registered 24 April 2014.