Effects of High-Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation on the Management of Thoracoabdominal Tumors during Heavy Ion Therapy

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and feasibility of the high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) technique for the management of thoracoabdominal malignancies in patients undergoing heavy ion therapy. Methods A retrospective analysis of clinical data from 20 patients with thoracoabdominal malignant tumors treated with heavy ion therapy under the control of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation at Gansu Province Wuwei Cancer Hospital was conducted from January 2023 to July 2023. Patient's general conditions, respiratory motion, and other indicators were analyzed and compared before, during, and after the treatment to determine the value of utilizing high-frequency oscillatory ventilation for managing thoracoabdominal malignancies in patients undergoing heavy ion therapy. Results Primary or secondary lung malignancies were the most common, followed by pancreatic malignancies. There was no significant difference in heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, or tcpCO2 values before, during, or after treatment (P > 0.05). High-frequency oscillatory ventilation improved the patient's tcpO2 values (P = 0.000). The lung respiratory motion under high-frequency oscillatory ventilation was 1.42 ± 0.41 mm, which was significantly lower than that in the autonomous respiration state (P = 0.000), and there were no occurrences of "missed targeting" during radiotherapy. During the treatment process, one case each of hypertension and hypercapnia was observed, and two patients experienced nausea and vomiting after extubation. Follow-up examinations of all 20 patients revealed no cases of radiation pneumonitis, and repeat CT scans indicated a partial response in all cases, with an average hospitalization time of 25.40 ± 11.05 days. Conclusion High-frequency oscillatory ventilation enables thoracoabdominal tumor patients to receive higher doses of precise heavy ion therapy, thereby enhancing treatment efficacy. This approach is safe, causes fewer complications, and reduces hospitalization time.