Peak intratracheal pressure during controlled ventilation in infants and children. A computer study of the Servo 900C ventilator

Endotracheal tube resistance and inertance in a model of mechanical ventilation of newborns and small infants-the impact of ventilator settings on tracheal pressure swings

Resistive properties of endotracheal tubes (ETTs) are particularly relevant in newborns and small infants who are generally ventilated through ETTs with a small inner diameter. The ventilation rate is also high and the inspiratory time (ti) is short. These conditions effectuate high airway flows with excessive flow acceleration, so airway resistance and inertance play an important role. We carried out a model study to investigate the impact of varying ETT size, lung compliance and ventilator settings, such as peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) and inspiratory time (ti) on the pressure-flow characteristics with respect to the resistive and inertive properties of the ETT. Pressure at the Y piece was compared to direct measurement of intratracheal pressure (P(trach)) at the tip of the ETT, and pressure drop (ΔP(ETT)) was calculated. Applying published tube coefficients (Rohrer's constants and inertance), P(trach) was calculated from ventilator readings and compared to measured P(trach) using the root-mean-square error. The most relevant for ΔP(ETT) was the ETT size, followed by (in descending order) PIP, compliance, ti and PEEP, with gas flow velocity being the principle in common for all these parameters. Depending on the ventilator settings ΔP(ETT) exceeded 8 mbar in the smallest 2.0 mm ETT. Consideration of inertance as an additional effect in this setting yielded a better agreement of calculated versus measured P(trach) than Rohrer's constants alone. We speculate that exact tracheal pressure tracings calculated from ventilator readings by applying Rohrer's equation and the inertance determination to small size ETTs would be helpful. As an integral part of ventilator software this would (1) allow an estimate of work of breathing and implementation of an automatic tube compensation, and (2) be important for gentle ventilation in respiratory care, especially of small infants, since it enables the physician to estimate consequences of altered ventilator settings at the tracheal level.

Tracheal tube resistance and airway and alveolar pressures during mechanical ventilation in the neonate

The relationship between peak airway pressure, alveolar pressure and respiratory frequency was calculated for the range of compliances and airway resistances which might be encountered during mechanical ventilation of a 3-kg neonate. The pressure/flow relationships of 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4-mm tracheal tubes were determined at a series of flows from 0.5 to 4 litres/minute. Peak airway and alveolar pressures were then measured at various frequencies and inspiratory:expiratory ratios with the tubes incorporated in a model lung. Large differences between peak airway and alveolar pressures developed when frequency was increased or inspiratory time decreased; the differences were greatest with the smaller tubes. Shortening expiratory time by increasing the frequency or altering the inspiratory:expiratory ratio resulted in increased end-expiratory pressure because of incomplete emptying of the lung.