A study of the physiologic responses to a lung recruitment maneuver in acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the magnitude, duration, and consistency of the effects of lung recruitment maneuvers (RMs) on oxygenation, lung mechanics, and comfort in patients with acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: We conducted a prospective physiologic study at 3 tertiary-care hospitals. We enrolled 28 consecutive eligible patients with ARDS or ALI and a ratio of P(aO(2)) to fraction of inspired …