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.