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To avoid ventilator induced lung injury, tidal volume should be low in acute lung injury (ALI). Reducing dead space may be useful, for example by using a pattern of inspiration that prolongs the time available for gas distribution and diffusion within the respiratory zone, the mean distribution time (MDT). A study was conducted to investigate how MDT affects CO2 elimination in pigs at health and after ALI. Randomised crossover study in the animal laboratory of Lund University Biomedical Center. Healthy pigs and pigs with ALI, caused by surfactant perturbation and lung-damaging ventilation were ventilated with a computer-controlled ventilator. With this device each breath could be tailored with respect to insufflation time and pause time ( T I and T P) as well as flow shape (square, increasing or decreasing flow). The single-breath test for CO2 allowed analysis of the volume of expired CO2 and the volume of CO2 re-inspired from Y-piece and tubes. With a long MDT caused by long T I or T P, the expired volume of CO2 increased markedly in accordance with the MDT concept in both healthy and ALI pigs. High initial inspiratory flow caused by a short T I or decreasing flow increased the re-inspired volume of CO2. Arterial CO2 increased during a longer period of short MDT and decreased again when MDT was prolonged. CO2 elimination can be enhanced by a pattern of ventilation that prolongs MDT. Positive effects of prolonged MDT caused by short T I and decreasing flow were attenuated by high initial inspiratory flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Measurements from the pulmonary pressure-volume (PV) curve have been proposed to adjust ventilator settings. We investigated the effects of repeated construction of an inflation PV curve implemented in a standard ventilator on recruitment or derecruitment in acutely injured lungs.Design and Setting: Prospective experimental animal study in eight anesthetized and mechanically ventilated pigs.Interventions: Acute lung injury was induced by lung lavage and animals were ventilated in volume controlled mode with PEEP 10 cmH(2)O. The PV curve was constructed five times repeatedly by constant pressure rise, after which ventilation with the preset PEEP was resumed immediately. Studies of hemodynamics, lung mechanics, blood gases and computed tomography were carried out before and after maneuvers.Measurements and Results: Derecruitment was assessed as an increase in nonaerated lung volume (V(NON)), and V(PEEP) was the end-expiratory volume difference between PEEP and ZEEP. There was a significant decrease in PaO(2) from 90.4+/-33.3 to 70.9+/-36.3 mmHg and a rise in venous admixture from 47.8+/-12.7 to 59.1+/-16.6%. V(PEEP) was reduced from 244 to 202 ml. A corresponding decrease in normally aerated lung volume was observed, while regression analysis revealed increase in V(NON) depending on the amount of preexisting atelectasis.Conclusions: Repeated generation of the PV curve with a readily available tool resulted in worsened oxygenation. Derecruitment of the lungs occurred with loss of PEEP at the start of the maneuver, which could not be recovered by a maximum inflation pressure of 40 cmH(2)O. Repeated use of the investigated tool should be cautioned, and users should consider measures to preserve aerated lung volumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Inhaled nitric oxide has been shown to improve oxygenation in acute lung injury. Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of low-dose (5-ppm) inhaled nitric oxide in patients with acute lung injury. Design and Setting Multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled study, with blinding of patients, caregivers, data collectors, assessors of outcomes, and data analysts (triple blind), conducted in the intensive care units of 46 hospitals in the United States. Patients were enrolled between March 1996 and September 1999. Patients Patients (n = 385) with moderately severe acute lung injury, a modification of the American-European Consensus Conference definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) using a ratio of PaO2 to FiO2 of ≤250, were enrolled if the onset was within 72 hours of randomization, sepsis was not the cause of the lung injury, and the patient had no significant nonpulmonary organ system dysfunction at randomization. Interventions Patients were randomly assigned to placebo (nitrogen gas) or inhaled nitric oxide at 5 ppm until 28 days, discontinuation of assisted breathing, or death. Main Outcome Measures The primary end point was days alive and off assisted breathing. Secondary outcomes included mortality, days alive and meeting oxygenation criteria for extubation, and days patients were alive following a successful unassisted ventilation test. Results An intent-to-treat analysis revealed that inhaled nitric oxide at 5 ppm did not increase the number of days patients were alive and off assisted breathing (mean [SD], 10.6 [9.8] days in the placebo group and 10.7 [9.7] days in the inhaled nitric oxide group; P = .97; difference, –0.1 day [95% confidence interval, –2.0 to 1.9 days]). This lack of effect on clinical outcomes was seen despite a statistically significant increase in PaO2 that resolved by 48 hours. Mortality was similar between groups (20% placebo vs 23% nitric oxide; P =... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Tracheal gas insufflation (TGI) reduces PaCO2 by flushing the tracheal and mechanical deadspace, and may have its maximum benefit when TGI gas is unopposed by significant expiratory gas flow. Thus, limiting TGI to the late expiratory period may diminish tracheal exposure to TGI gas while preserving the efficacy of TGI. This study examined the gas exchange consequences of such late-expiratory TGI. Design and setting: Randomized controlled trial, animal study. Materials: Eleven pigs. Interventions: After stable lung injury was established using oleic acid 11 pigs were ventilated using a standardized lung protective strategy. Phasic expiratory TGI was applied for 30 min stages during the last 20%, 40%, 60%, and 100% of expiration in random sequence. PaCO2 was continuously measured via an indwelling blood gas analysis system. Measurements and results: PaCO2 at baseline was 86.1±4.7 mmHg, and decreased progressively with increasing TGI duration of 20%, 40%, and 60%, but not 100%, of expiration (PaCO2=75.7±5.2, 68.8±3.6, 65.1±5.3 and 65.2±5.2 mmHg, respectively). For all stages the reduction in PaCO2 relative to baseline was significant. Trends of increasing PaO2 and airway pressure with increasing TGI duration were noted and most likely associated with a TGI-induced increase in lung volume. Conclusions: Under these conditions confining TGI to the final 60% of expiration achieved effective PaCO2 reduction, not significantly different from panexpiratory TGI, while limiting exposure of the trachea to TGI gas, and reducing the potential for TGI-induced hyperinflation. These findings suggest that TGI is most effectively applied in a phasic manner in late expiration, with its duration titrated to effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]