Continuous dynamic monitoring of pressure and flow patterns during assisted ventilation.
A system for continuous, dynamic monitoring of children requiring ventilatory assistance  has been developed and used in a critical care setting. Breath by breath airway pressure changes are measured on a specially adapted meter with high-and low-pressure limit alarms, and are displayed graphically on a bedside oscilloscope. This system has proved to be beneficial in detecting ventilator system malfunction; in adjusting ventilator settings, such as inspiratory/expiratory ratios, end-expiratory pressure, and phase duration and flow  ratios; in assessing compliance of a child requiring ventilatory assistance and his capability for spontaneous breathing; and in the early recognition of potentially harmful problems attendant upon assisted ventilation. The system provides additional educational benefit for the I.C.U. personnel, who become more knowledgeable regarding ventilatory problems, and more apt to discover them promptly. The simplicity of the system, compatibility with other I.C.U. monitoring equipment, capability for continuous, dynamic monitoring, and broad scope recommended it for infants and children requiring assisted ventilation.
D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000295:instrumentation