[Studying pulmonary mechanics in intensive care].

Assessing pulmonary function in critically ill patients is difficult, mainly because of lack of cooperation, artificial ventilation and jeopardized vital functions. We describe bedside methods and mobile equipment used to measure lung volumes, static pulmonary and thoracic compliance. The analysis of single and multiple-breath nitrogen washout curves allows an estimation of closing volume and an assessment of the inhomogeneity of ventilation. The use of a microcomputer facilitates recording, calculation, reproduction and classification of the data; it also permits the collection of more information in a shorter time, allowing the adjustment of mechanical ventilation to the underlying pulmonary disease.