Injurious mechanical ventilation in the normal lung causes a progressive pathologic change in dynamic alveolar mechanics.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Acute respiratory distress syndrome causes a heterogeneous lung injury, and without protective mechanical ventilation a secondary ventilator-induced lung injury can occur. To ventilate noncompliant lung regions, high inflation pressures are required to 'pop open' the injured alveoli. The temporal impact, however, of these elevated pressures on normal alveolar mechanics (that is, the dynamic change in alveolar size and shape during ventilation) is unknown. In the present study we found that ventilating the normal lung with high peak pressure (45 cmH(2)0) and low positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP of 3 cmH(2)O) did not initially result in altered alveolar mechanics, but alveolar instability developed over time.

Methods

Anesthetized rats underwent tracheostomy,

SUBMITTER: Pavone LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2206429 | biostudies-literature | 2007

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature