• Manuel Fontes.
• The Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York 10021, USA. maf2029@med.cornell.edu
• Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2002 Feb 1;15(1):45-51.

AbstractMechanical ventilation is a life-supporting process employed in the management of respiratory failure. Over the years, our understanding of the pathophysiology of lung injury has greatly improved, and has aided the technological development of ventilatory modes that are more patient 'sensitive' and less traumatizing to the lungs. This review will discuss the fundamental modes of mechanical ventilation, and present current concepts regarding patient-ventilator interaction that either promote lung healing and weaning from positive pressure ventilation or delay recovery because of the injudicious use of ventilatory modalities that are incapable of meeting the ventilatory demands of the patient on a breath-by-breath basis. In addition, the current strategy for mechanical ventilation in acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome will be summarized.

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