An Anesthesia-Centered Bundle to Reduce Postoperative Pulmonary Complications: The PRIME-AIR Study

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in surgical patients. National estimates suggest 1,062,000 PPCs per year, with 46,200 deaths, and 4.8 million additional days of hospitalization. The objective of the study is to develop and implement perioperative strategies to eliminate PPCs in abdominal surgery, the field with the largest absolute number of PPCs. We will conduct a randomized controlled pragmatic trial in 750 studied participants. The effectiveness of an individualized perioperative anesthesia-centered bundle will be compared to the usual anesthetic care in patients receiving open abdominal surgery. At the end of this project, the investigators expect to change clinical practice by establishing a new and clinically feasible anesthesia-centered strategy to reduce perioperative lung morbidity. The research will be conducted across 14 US academic centers, and will be funded by the National Institute of Health.