Table 1 Inclusion/exclusion criteria
Eligibility criteria | |
|---|---|
Inclusion criteria: • Elective cardiac surgery, with median sternotomy and two-lung ventilation • Patients scheduled for mitral valve regurgitation and/or aortic valve regurgitation surgery, performed with CPB and aortic cross-clamping • Adult patients (age 18 years or older) • Ability to provide informed consent • High risk for respiratory dysfunction, defined as 1 of: preoperative hypoxemia (arterial oxygen saturation < 92% in room air or arterial oxygen partial pressure < 60 mmHg at blood-gas analysis or a PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 200 at basal blood-gas analysis); preoperative obesity (BMI > 30); preoperative ejection fraction < 50%; preoperative NYHA class > II Age > 65 years [25]. | Exclusion criteria: • Non-elective cardiac surgery • Anticipated circulatory arrest, TAVI, Mitraclip • Patient’s refusal • Pregnancy • Thoracotomic approach, with one-lung ventilation • Previous pulmonary resection • Patients with acute kidney injury requiring dialysis • Patients with chronic kidney insufficiency (stage III or greater) • Patients already intubated before arrival in operating theater • Pneumonia in the previous 30 days |