title: Open lung in ARDS.
abstract: Every year, millions of patients worldwide receive ventilator support during surgery. Mechanical ventilation has become an important therapy in the treatment of patients with impaired pulmonary function and particularly in patients suffering from adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is caused by multiple factors and is characterized by respiratory dysfunction including hypoxemia and decreased lung compliance. It is known that the decrease in lung distensibility is due to a disturbed surfactant system with an elevated surface tension. This increase in surface tension leads to an increase in forces acting at the air-liquid interface, resulting finally in end-expiratory collapse, atelectasis, an increase in right-to-left shunt and a decrease in paO2.
authors.affiliation: Deptartment of Anesthesiology, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jack J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Haitsma
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lachmann
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lachmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics