• Sebastian Prin, Karim Chergui, Rock Augarde, Bernard Page, François Jardin, and Antoine Vieillard-Baron.
• Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital Ambroise Paré, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, 9 avenue Charles de Gaulle, 92104, Boulogne, France.
• Intensive Care Med. 2002 Dec 1;28(12):1756-60.

ObjectiveTo assess the ability of a heated humidifier to improve CO(2) clearance in ARDS patients submitted to protective ventilation.DesignProspective clinical study.SettingUniversity hospital intensive care unit.PatientsDuring a 12-month period, we studied 11 ARDS patients under protective mechanical ventilation with severe hypercapnia.InterventionWhen PaCO(2) was above 55 mmHg, the heat and moisture exchanger (HME) was removed and patients were ventilated using a heated humidifier (HH) until their recovery or death. The heated humidifier was inserted on the inspiratory limb of the respirator and the inspirated air was saturated to achieve a temperature of 40 degrees C at the Y connector of ventilator tubing and of 37 degrees C at the outlet of the endotracheal tube.Measurements And ResultsMechanical measurements and blood gas analysis were performed just before removal of the HME, and 30 min after mechanical ventilation using HH. Ventilator parameters were kept constant in the two conditions. Using HH instead of HME, PaCO(2) was safely decreased by 11+/-5 mmHg, without any need to change respiratory rate. No significant difference was noted in intrinsic PEEP or airway plateau pressure. Decrease in PaCO(2) after HME removal was strongly correlated with the initial value of PaCO(2).ConclusionSupposing there is an interest in correcting or limiting hypercapnic acidosis in ARDS patients submitted to protective ventilation, HME removal and use of HH appears to be an efficient and safe way of increasing CO(2) clearance.

26 keywords...

hide…