Gastric Insufflation During Facemask Ventilation at Different Levels of End-expiratory Pressure in Obese Patients

Gastric insufflation occurs when the inspiratory pressure exceeds the lower esophageal sphincter pressure. Thus, it is desirable to avoid excessive positive pressure during mask ventilation after induction of anesthesia and keeping the inspiratory pressure \<15-20 cmH2O.In patients with obesity the lower compliance of the respiratory system usually requires higher inspiratory pressures to maintain adequate ventilation making these patients more prone to gastric insufflation. This high risk of gastric insufflation can be aggravated by the use of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) which is recommended to avoid lung atelectasis. The application of PEEP during mask ventilation increases the risk of gastric insufflation as it reduces the pressure threshold at which gastric insufflation occur The optimum ventilatory strategy during mask ventilation should achieve the balance between adequate lung ventilation and avoiding gastric insufflation. In obese patients, it is not clear whether the use of PEEP during mask ventilation would increase the risk of gastric insufflation or not. We hypothesize that using zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP) or low PEEP during mask ventilation would reduce the risk of gastric insufflation in comparison to high PEEP.