Physiological Effects of Chest Wall Elastance on Pulmonary Mechanics of Acute Respiratory Failure Patientstranspulmonary Pressure

Mechanical ventilation(MV) is an important treatment for acute respiratory failure(ARF) patients, could improve hypoxemia, maintain lung volume and promote alveolar opening. However, because of barotrauma, volutrauma and biotrauma, MV could cause or aggravate acute lung injury not only in acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) patients, but in patients with normal lung function1,2.

Patients with chest wall elastance increasing could worsen lung function. Increasing of chest wall elastance plays a great role in lung mechanics, and could influence mechanical ventilation settings. Therefore, It could help the physicians to find appropriate indicators and optimize the treatments of ARF patients to explore the mechanisms of lung mechanics changse in the patients with high chest wall elastance.

The present study is set out to examine the effects of high chest wall elastance on changes of lung mechanics and the correlation of airway pressure(Paw) stress index and transpulmonary pressure(PL) stress index.