Partial Neuromuscular Blockade during Partial Ventilatory Support in Sedated Patients with High Tidal Volumes

Volume-controlled Ventilation Does Not Prevent Injurious Inflation during Spontaneous Effort

RATIONALE

Spontaneous breathing during mechanical ventilation increases transpulmonary pressure and Vt, and worsens lung injury. Intuitively, controlling Vt and transpulmonary pressure might limit injury caused by added spontaneous effort.

OBJECTIVES

To test the hypothesis that, during spontaneous effort in injured lungs, limitation of Vt and transpulmonary pressure by volume-controlled ventilation results in less injurious patterns of inflation.

METHODS

Dynamic computed tomography was used to determine patterns of regional inflation in rabbits with injured lungs during volume-controlled or pressure-controlled ventilation. Transpulmonary pressure was estimated by using esophageal balloon manometry [Pl(es)] with and without spontaneous effort. Local dependent lung stress was estimated as the swing (inspiratory change) in transpulmonary pressure measured by intrapleural manometry in dependent lung and was compared with the swing in Pl(es). Electrical impedance tomography was performed to evaluate the inflation pattern in a larger animal (pig) and in a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Spontaneous breathing in injured lungs increased Pl(es) during pressure-controlled (but not volume-controlled) ventilation, but the pattern of dependent lung inflation was the same in both modes. In volume-controlled ventilation, spontaneous effort caused greater inflation and tidal recruitment of dorsal regions (greater than twofold) compared with during muscle paralysis, despite the same Vt and Pl(es). This was caused by higher local dependent lung stress (measured by intrapleural manometry). In injured lungs, esophageal manometry underestimated local dependent pleural pressure changes during spontaneous effort.

CONCLUSIONS

Limitation of Vt and Pl(es) by volume-controlled ventilation could not eliminate harm caused by spontaneous breathing unless the level of spontaneous effort was lowered and local dependent lung stress was reduced.

Spontaneous breathing: a double-edged sword to handle with care

In acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients, spontaneous breathing is associated with multiple physiologic benefits: it prevents muscles atrophy, avoids paralysis, decreases sedation needs and is associated with improved hemodynamics. On the other hand, in the presence of uncontrolled inspiratory effort, severe lung injury and asynchronies, spontaneous ventilation might also worsen lung edema, induce diaphragm dysfunction and lead to muscles exhaustion and prolonged weaning. In the present review article, we present physiologic mechanisms driving spontaneous breathing, with emphasis on how to implement basic and advanced respiratory monitoring to assess lung protection during spontaneous assisted ventilation. Then, key benefits and risks associated with spontaneous ventilation are described. Finally, we propose some clinical means to promote protective spontaneous breathing at the bedside. In summary, early switch to spontaneous assisted breathing of acutely hypoxemic patients is more respectful of physiology and might yield several advantages. Nonetheless, risk of additional lung injury is not completely avoided during spontaneous breathing and careful monitoring of target physiologic variables such as tidal volume (Vt) and driving transpulmonary pressure should be applied routinely. In clinical practice, multiple interventions such as extracorporeal CO₂ removal exist to maintain inspiratory effort, Vt and driving transpulmonary pressure within safe limits but more studies are needed to assess their long-term efficacy.