Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of a recruitment maneuver, the Open Lung Tool, in pediatric patients with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Design Prospective cohort study using a repeated-measures design. Setting Pediatric intensive care unit at an urban tertiary children's hospital. Patients Twenty-one ventilated pediatric patients with acute lung injury. Intervention Recruitment maneuver using incremental positive end-expiratory pressure. Measurements and Main Results The ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen over fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FIO2 ratio) increased 53% immediately after the recruitment maneuver. The median PaO2/FIO2 ratio increased from 111 (interquartile range, 73–266) prerecruitment maneuver to 170 (interquartile range, 102–341) immediately postrecruitment maneuver (p < .01). Improvement in PaO2/FIO2 ratio persisted with an increase of 80% over the baseline at 4 hrs and 40% at 12 hrs after the recruitment maneuver. The median PaO2/FIO2 ratio was 200 (interquartile range, 116–257) 4 hrs postrecruitment maneuver (p < .05) and 156 (interquartile range, 127–236) 12 hrs postrecruitment maneuver (p < .01). Compared with prerecruitment maneuver, the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) was significantly decreased at 4 hrs postrecruitment maneuver but not immediately after the recruitment maneuver. The median PaCO2 was 49 torr (interquartile range, 44–60) prerecruitment maneuver compared with 48 torr (interquartile range, 43–50) immediately postrecruitment maneuver (p = .69), 45 torr (interquartile range, 41–50) at 4 hrs postrecruitment maneuver (p < .01), and 43 torr (interquartile range, 38–51) at 12 hrs postrecruitment maneuver. Recruitment maneuvers were well tolerated except for significant increase in PaCO2 in three patients. There were no serious adverse events related to the recruitment maneuver. Conclusions Using the modified open lung tool recruitment maneuver, pediatric patients with acute lung injury may safely achieve improved oxygenation and ventilation with these benefits potentially lasting up to 12 hrs postrecruitment maneuver.

Summary Rationale There are several adult studies using computed tomography (CT-scan) to examine lung aeration changes during or after a recruitment maneuver (RM) in ventilated patients with acute lung injury (ALI). However, there are no published data on the lung aeration changes during or after a RM in ventilated pediatric patients with ALI. Objective To describe CT-scan lung aeration changes and gas exchange after lung recruitment in pediatric ALI and assess the safety of transporting patients in the acute phase of ALI to the CT-scanner. Methods We present a case series completed in a subset of six patients enrolled in our previously published study of efficacy and safety of lung recruitment in pediatric patients with ALI. Intervention RM using incremental positive end-expiratory pressure. Results There was a variable increase in aerated and poorly aerated lung after the RM ranging from 3% to 72% (median 20%; interquartile range 6, 47; P = 0.03). All patients had improvement in the ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen over fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2) after the RM (median 14%; interquartile range: 8, 72; P = 0.03). There was a decrease in the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) in four of six subjects after the RM (median −5%; interquartile range: −9, 2; P = 0.5). One subject had transient hypercapnia (41% increase in PaCO2) during the RM and this correlated with the smallest increase (3%) in aerated and poorly aerated lung. All patients tolerated the RM without hemodynamic compromise, barotrauma, hypoxemia, or dysrhythmias. Conclusions Lung recruitment results in improved lung aeration as detected by lung tomography. This is accompanied by improvements in oxygenation and ventilation. However, the clinical significance of these findings is uncertain. Transporting patients in early ALI to the CT-scanner seems safe and feasible.

This study demonstrated an overwhelmingly positive experience in providing EOL and/or PM care to children in the RR and staff would recommend this to peers. This model of care should be a serious consideration for hospitals in the United States.