Respiratory Mechanics in Mechanically Ventilated Patients

Respiratory mechanics refers to the expression of lung function through measures of pressure and flow. From these measurements, a variety of derived indices can be determined, such as volume, compliance, resistance, and work of breathing. Plateau pressure is a measure of end-inspiratory distending pressure. It has become increasingly appreciated that end-inspiratory transpulmonary pressure (stress) might be a better indicator of the potential for lung injury than plateau pressure alone. This has resulted in a resurgence of interest in the use of esophageal manometry in mechanically ventilated patients. End-expiratory transpulmonary pressure might also be useful to guide the setting of PEEP to counterbalance the collapsing effects of the chest wall. The shape of the pressure-time curve might also be useful to guide the setting of PEEP (stress index). This has focused interest in the roles of stress and strain to assess the potential for lung injury during mechanical ventilation. This paper covers both basic and advanced respiratory mechanics during mechanical ventilation.