Driving Pressure-Guided Individualized PEEP Versus Standard PEEP: Effects on Postoperative Pulmonary Complications in Upper Abdominal Digestive Surgery

This randomized clinical trial compares two methods of setting positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) during general anesthesia in adults undergoing upper abdominal digestive surgery who are at moderate or high risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. All participants will receive lung-protective mechanical ventilation. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the individualized PEEP group, PEEP will be adjusted to achieve the lowest driving pressure following a lung recruitment maneuver. In the standard PEEP group, PEEP will be fixed at 5 cmH2O. The main question is whether driving pressure-guided individualized PEEP reduces the proportion of participants who develop one or more postoperative pulmonary complications during the first 7 days after surgery compared with standard PEEP.