Decades of research and clinical observation in mechanical ventilation have demonstrated unequivocally that tidal volume (VT), plateau pressure (PPLAT) and PEEP (positive end-expiratory pressure) influence ventilator induced lung injury. Clinicians, however, have struggled in the attempt to find a single indicator of safety and risk. Recent analyses of the large multi-center randomized trials database suggest that Airway Driving Pressure (ADP) and Trans pulmonary Driving Pressure (DTP) are the variables of greatest importance and therefore the best single parameters on which to focus. In attempting to define their optimal values and their correlation between each other in the setting of intra-abdominal hypertension, we would like to compare standard of care mechanical ventilation (control) with mechanical ventilation guided by DTP and ADP (intervention) in patients undergoing abdominal laparoscopic surgery.
