Östberg E, et al. - In this evaluator-blinded trial performed on 30 healthy patients undergoing nonabdominal surgery under general anesthesia, researchers investigated whether withdrawing positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) prior to initiating emergence preoxygenation would check postoperative atelectasis formation. Participants were supported with mechanical ventilation with PEEP 7 or 9 cm H₂O based on body mass index. Findings revealed that postoperative atelectasis formation was not decreased when PEEP was withdrawn before emergence preoxygenation. Although 100% oxygen was used during awakening, atelectasis after the operation was small and did not influence oxygenation, likely conditional on an open lung during anesthesia, as achieved by intraoperative PEEP.