Intermittent mandatory ventilation

Synchronized Intermittent Mechanical Ventilation is a variation of IMV, in which the ventilator breaths are synchronized with patient inspiratory effort.[1][2] SIMV, with and without pressure support has not been shown to have any advantages over continuous mandatory ventilation (CMV) in terms of mortality[3] or weaning success,[4] and has been shown to result in longer weaning times when compared to t-piece trials or gradual reductions in pressure support.[5][6][7] Some studies have shown an increase in patient work of breathing when switched from CMV to SIMV,[8][9] and others[10] have demonstrated potential detrimental effects of SIMV on respiratory muscles and respiratory drive.

Mandatory minute ventilation is a mode which requires the operator to determine what the appropriate minute ventilation for the patient should be, and the ventilator then monitors the patient's ability to generate this volume every 7.5 seconds. If the calculation suggests the volume target will not be met, SIMV breaths are delivered at the targeted volume to achieve the desired minute ventilation.[11] Allows spontaneous breathing with automatic adjustments of mandatory ventilation to the meet the patient’s preset minimum minute volume requirement. If the patient maintains the minute volume settings for VT x f, no mandatory breaths are delivered. If the patient's minute volume is insufficient, mandatory delivery of the preset tidal volume will occur until the minute volume is achieved. The method for monitoring whether or not the patient is meeting the required minute ventilation (V_E) is different per ventilator brand and model, but generally there is a window of time being monitored and a smaller window being checked against that larger window (i.e., in the Dräger Evita® line of mechanical ventilators there is a moving 20-second window and every 7 seconds the current tidal volume and rate are measured against to make a decision for if a mechanical breath is needed to maintain the minute ventilation). MMV is the most optimal mode for weaning in neonatal and pediatric populations and has been shown to reduce long term complications related to mechanical ventilation.[11]

Proportional assist ventilation is a mode in which the ventilator guarantees the percentage of work regardless of changes in pulmonary compliance and resistance.[12] The ventilator varies the tidal volume and pressure based on the patients work of breathing, the amount it delivers is proportional to the percentage of assistance it is set to give.

Adaptive Support Ventilation is a positive pressure mode of mechanical ventilation that is closed-loop controlled. In this mode, the frequency and tidal volume of breaths of a patient on the ventilator are automatically adjusted based on the patient’s requirements. The lung mechanics data are used to adjust the depth and rate of breaths to minimize the work rate of breathing. In the ASV mode, every breath is synchronized with patient effort if such an effort exists, and otherwise, full mechanical ventilation is provided to the patient.

ASV is a patented technology originally described as one of the embodiments of US Patent No. 4986268.[13] In this invention, the control algorithm computes the optimal rate of respiration to minimize the work rate of breathing. The rationale is to make the patient's breathing pattern comfortable and natural within safe limits, and thereby stimulate spontaneous breathing and reduce the weaning time.

• Modes of mechanical ventilation