A 70-inch, 90 kg male patient is received in PACU orally intubated following gall bladder surgery. Which of the following tidal volumes is most appropriate for this patient?
300 ml
600 ml
750 ml
800 ml
Explanations
First,calculate the patient’s predicted body weight to find the appropriate tidal volume for this 70-inch patient. Anytime a patient’s height is given in an exam question, we should calculate and use their predicted body weight to find the appropriate tidal volume.
PBW = 50 + 2(each inch the patient is greater than 60 inches)
PBW = 50 + 2(10)
PBW = 50 + 20
PBW = 70 kg
Next, there is no evidence this patient has poor compliance (stiff lungs), so we will multiply the patient’s PBW by 6 ml and 10 ml to find the acceptable tidal volume range.
70 x 6 ml= 420 ml
70 x 10 ml = 700 ml
The acceptable tidal volume range for this patient is between 420 and 700 ml. Therefore, answer 2 is correct because it is the only choice that falls within this acceptable tidal volume range.