Lung Protection during Mechanical Ventilation

Critically ill patients frequently require the mechanical support of a ventilator to keep them alive. While mechanical ventilators provide life-saving respiratory support, they can also cause damage to the lungs, a phenomenon known as ventilator-induced lung injury. Patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are at particularly high risk for ventilator-induced lung injury which may, in turn, contribute to the high ARDS-associated mortality. In this chapter, we will briefly review relevant aspects of ARDS, ventilator-induced lung injury, and strategies currently under investigation to prevent ventilator-induced lung injury.