ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of ultrasound-guided transverse abdominis plane block combined with lung protective pulmonary ventilation management strategy on postoperative pulmonary complications in elderly patients treated with abdominal surgery under general anesthesia.

MethodsA total of 100 elderly patients treated with abdominal surgery under general anesthesia were randomly divided into the control group(group C) and group PT(treated with ultrasound transabdominal muscle plane block combined with lung protective ventilation strategy)(50 cases each in group).The incidence rates of postoperative pulmonary complications in two groups were observed and recorded.The tracheal extubation time, PACU residence time, postoperative gastrointestinal ventilation time, postoperative activity time out of bed, postoperative hospitalization time, anesthesia induction, intraoperative opioid dosage, and VAS scores after 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h of surgery were analyzed in two groups.

ResultsThe incidence rate of postoperative pulmonary complications in group PT was lower than that in group C(P < 0.01), the postoperative activity time out of bed and postoperative hospital stay in group PT were shorter than those in group C(P < 0.05), and the intraoperative fentanyl dosage and VAS scores after 6 h and 12 h of operation in PT group were lower than those in group C(P < 0.05 and P < 0.01).The differences of the tracheal extubation time, PACU observation time, postoperative gastrointestinal ventilation time, anesthesia induction, intraoperative sufentanil dosage, and VAS scores after 24 h and 48 h of operation between two groups were not statistically significant(P>0.05).

ConclusionsTransverse abdominis plane muscle block combined with lung protective ventilation management strategy can significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in elderly patients treated with abdominal surgery under general anesthesia.