Table 1.

Current practice for interventions to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications in resourced healthcare settings

What is it?	Is it used commonly?	How burdensome for patients?	How tricky for providers?	Cost
Enhanced recovery pathways	Increasingly commonly used	Minimal	Simple (once established)	Neutral
Prophylactic mucolytics	Not commonly used	Minimal	Simple	£
Postoperative ventilatory support (CPAP, NIV, or HFNC)	Not commonly used*	Moderate	Complex	££
Lung protective ventilation intraoperatively	Not commonly used	None	Simple	Neutral
Respiratory physiotherapy	Not commonly used*	Mild	Complex	££
Epidural analgesia	Commonly used	Mild	Moderate	££
Goal directed fluid therapy	Variably used internationally	None	Moderate	££
Incentive spirometry	Variably used internationally	Mild	Simple	£
Inhaled therapies (in addition to usual drugs)	Not commonly used*	Mild	Simple	£
Smoking cessation	Commonly recommended	Moderate	Simple	Neutral

Costs and degree of burden for patients are generalised and based on empirical estimates.

CPAP=continuous positive airway pressure; HFNC=high flow nasal cannula; NIV=non-invasive ventilation.

^*Not commonly used prophylactically, but commonly used in response to deteriorating respiratory function (ie, as treatment).