Effects of high flow nasal cannula following minimally invasive esophagectomy in ICU patients: A prospective pre-post study

Patients with esophageal cancer who undergo minimally invasive esophagectomy are at risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy delivers humidified, warmed positive airway pressure but has not been applied routinely after surgery. Here, we aimed to compare high-flow nasal cannula and conventional oxygen therapy in patients with esophageal cancer during intensive care unit hospitalization 48 h postoperatively. In this prospective pre- and post-intervention study, patients with esophageal cancer who underwent elective minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) and were extubated in the operation room and admitted to the intensive care unit postoperatively were assigned to receive either high-flow nasal cannula (HFNCO) or standard oxygen (SO) therapy. Participants in the SO group were recruited before January 2020, and those in the HFNCO group were enrolled after January 2020. The primary outcome was the difference in postoperative pulmonary complication incidence. Secondary outcomes were the occurrence of desaturation within 48 h, PaO2/FiO2 within 48 h, anastomotic leakage, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, and mortality. The standard oxygen and high-flow nasal cannula oxygen groups comprised 33 and 36 patients, respectively. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. In the HFNCO group, postoperative pulmonary complication incidence was significantly reduced (22.2% vs 45.5%) and PaO2/FiO2 was significantly increased. No other between-group differences were observed. HFNCO therapy significantly reduced postoperative pulmonary complication incidence after elective MIE in patients with esophageal cancer without increasing the risk of anastomotic leakage.