title: Pulmonary mechanics during mechanical ventilation.
abstract: The use of mechanical ventilation has become widespread in the management of hypoxic respiratory failure. Investigations of pulmonary mechanics in this clinical scenario have demonstrated that there are significant differences in compliance, resistance and gas flow when compared with normal subjects. This paper will review the mechanisms by which pulmonary mechanics are assessed in mechanically ventilated patients and will review how the data can be used for investigative research purposes as well as to inform rational ventilator management.
authors.affiliation: Program of Critical Care Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. William.Henderson@vch.ca
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: A William
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Sheel
mesh_terms: D000399:Air Pressure; D000403:Airway Resistance; D000465:Algorithms; D004947:Esophagus / Q000502:physiology; D005652:Functional Residual Capacity; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008170:Lung Compliance / Q000502:physiology; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D010994:Pleura / Q000502:physiology; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D013990:Tidal Volume