• Eumorfia Kondili, Nektaria Xirouchaki, and Dimitris Georgopoulos.
• Intensive Care Medicine Department, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, Medical School, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. konde@med.uoc.gr
• Curr Opin Crit Care. 2007 Feb 1;13(1):84-9.

Purpose Of ReviewThe coupling between ventilator delivered inspiratory flow and patient's demands both in terms of timing and drive is a challenging task that has become largely feasible in recent years. This review addresses the new advances to modulate and treat patient-ventilator dyssynchrony.Recent FindingsPatient-ventilator dyssynchrony is a common phenomenon with conventional modes of mechanical ventilation which influence the duration of mechanical ventilation. Inspection of pressure, volume and flow waveforms represents a valuable tool for the physician to recognize and take the appropriate action to improve patient-ventilator synchrony. New developments have been introduced aiming to improve patient ventilator synchrony by modulating the triggering function and the variables that control the flow delivery and the cycling off.SummaryPatient-ventilator dyssynchrony may affect patients' outcome. New modes of assisted mechanical ventilation have been introduced and represent a major step forward in modulating patient-ventilator dyssynchrony.

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