The effects of pressure-controlled and volume-controlled ventilation modes on the nasal mucociliary activity during general anaesthesia

The aim of this prospective randomized, double-blind study was to investigate the effects of pressure controlled and volume controlled ventilation on mucociliary clearance under general anaesthesia maintained with total intravenous anaesthesia. After approval by the Ethics Committee, 60 patients scheduled for tympanoplasty or tympanomasteidectomy under general anaesthesia were enrolled in the study. In Group I (n=30), the lungs of the patients were ventilated using volume-controlled mode with 8 ml/kg tidal volume. In Group II (n=30) pressure controlled ventilation mode was used with 10 cm H2O pressure support. Mucociliary clearance was assessed by in vivo saccharine transit time in preoperative and postoperative periods. The groups showed no significant differences regarding age, height, body mass index, peak and plateau airway pressures. Saccharine transit time values did not differ significantly between the groups. In conclusion, volume-controlled and pressure-controlled ventilation modes have no significant impact on nasal saccharine transit time.