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Background: Pressure-controlled face mask ventilation (PC-FMV) with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) after apnoea following induction of general anaesthesia prolongs safe apnoea time and reduces atelectasis formation. However, depending on the set inspiratory pressure, a delayed confirmation of a patent airway might occur. We hypothesised that by lowering the peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) when using PC-FMV with PEEP, confirmation of a patent airway would not be delayed as studied by the first return of CO2, compared with manual face mask ventilation (Manual FMV).

Methods: This was a single-centre, randomised controlled non-inferiority trial. Seventy adult patients scheduled for elective day-case surgery under general anaesthesia with body mass index between 18.5 and 29.9 kg m(-2), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classes I-III, and without anticipated difficult FMV, were included. Before the start of pre-oxygenation and induction of general anaesthesia, participants were randomly allocated to receive ventilation with either PC-FMV with PEEP, at a PIP of 11 and a PEEP of 6 cmH(2)O or Manual FMV, with the adjustable pressure-limiting valve set at 11 cmH(2)O. The primary outcome variable was the number of ventilatory attempts needed until confirmation of a patent airway, defined as the return of at least 1.3 kPa CO2.

Results: The return of >= 1.3 kPa CO2 on the capnography curve was observed after mean +/- SD, 3.6 +/- 4.2 and 2.5 +/- 1.9 ventilatory attempts/breaths with PC-FMV with PEEP and Manual FMV, respectively. The difference in means (1.1 ventilatory attempts/breaths) had a 99% CI of similar to 1.0 to 3.1, within the accepted upper margin of four breaths for non-inferiority.

Conclusion: Following induction of general anaesthesia, PC-FMV with PEEP was used without delaying a patent airway as confirmed with capnography, if moderate pressures were used.