Respiratory failure & ventilation
Physiotherapist-led intermittent noninvasive ventilation for hypoxaemia following abdominal surgery in a quaternary Australian hospital: a randomised pilot feasibility trial
Authors' conclusion
Recruitment to this trial of physiotherapist-led NIV in patients with postoperative hypoxaemia was feasible. NIV was rated acceptable by most participants, and NIV adherence similar to that of previous trials.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with hypoxaemia (oxyhaemoglobin saturations <90% on room air) within 72 h of major abdominal surgery49 analysed
- Participants
- 50 adults
- Comparison
- Usual care plus noninvasive ventilation (NIV) vs Usual care
- Primary endpoint
- Feasibility: patient recruitment rates, NIV treatment adherence, and acceptability to patients
Methodological detailsprospective, single-centre, parallel-group, assessor-blinded, concealed allocation, intention-to-treat analysis
- Prospective
- Single-centre
- Parallel-group
- Assessor-blinded
- Concealed allocation
- Intention-to-treat analysis
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Feasibility
Recruitment rate over 30 weeks, participants per week
1.7
95% CI 0.7–3.4
Mean total NIV delivered of the protocolised 120 min, min
78
95% CI 55–100
NIV acceptable to participants, 20/22
91%
95% CI 72%–97%
Further findings
PPC incidence on trial enrolment (exploratory), depending on measurement tool
- Lowest: 3/49
- 6% (95% CI 2%-17%)
- Highest: 23/49
- 47% (95% CI 34%-61%)
Safety
- No serious adverse events
Original publication
Physiotherapist-led intermittent noninvasive ventilation for hypoxaemia following abdominal surgery in a quaternary Australian hospital: a randomised pilot feasibility trial. BJA Open. Published 13 July 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →