Maintenance of Airway Pressure During Filter Exchange Due to Auto-Triggering

BACKGROUND: Daily routine ventilator-filter exchange interrupts the integrity of the ventilator circuit. We hypothesized that this might reduce positive airway pressure in mechanically ventilated ICU patients, inducing alveolar collapse and causing impaired oxygenation and compliance of the respiratory system. METHODS: We studied 40 consecutive ICU subjects (P-aO2/F-IO2 ratio <= 300 mm Hg), mechanically ventilated with pressure-regulated volume control or pressure support and PEEP >= 5 cm H2O. Before the filter exchange, (baseline) tidal volume, breathing frequency,end-inspiratory plateau pressure, and PEEP were recorded. Compliance of the respiratory system was calculated; F-IO2, blood pressure, and pulse rate were registered; and P-aO2, P-aCO2, pH, and base excess were measured. Measurements were repeated 15 and 60 min after the filter exchange. In addition, a bench test was performed with a precision test lung with similar compliance and resistance as in the clinical study. RESULTS: The exchange of the filter took 3.5 +/- 1.2 s (mean +/- SD). There was no significant change in P-aO2 (89 +/- 16 mm Hg at baseline vs 86 +/- 16 mm Hg at 15 min and 88 +/- 18 mm Hg at 60 min, P = .24) or in compliance of the respiratory system (41 +/- 11 mL/cm H2O at baseline vs 40 +/- 12 mL/cm H2O at 15 min and 40 +/- 12 mL/cm H2O at 60 min, P = .32). The bench study showed that auto-triggering by the ventilator when disconnecting from the expiratory circuit kept the tracheal pressure above PEEP for at least 3 s with pressure controlled ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that a short disconnection of the expiratory ventilator circuit from the ventilator during filter exchange was not associated with any significant deterioration in lung function 15 and 60 min later. This result may be explained by auto-triggering of the ventilator with high inspiratory flows during the filter exchange, maintaining airway pressure. (ISRCTN.org registration ISRCTN76631800.)