In preterm infants, the need for intubation and mechanical ventilation is associated with ventilator-induced lung injuries and subsequent bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The aim of the present review was to improve the understanding of the mechanisms of injury that involve cytokine-mediated inflammation to contribute to the development of new preventive strategies. Relevant articles were retrieved ...

BACKGROUND Peritoneal ventilation has been shown to be effective in achieving extrapulmonary oxygenation and carbon dioxide elimination in an animal model of severe adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Cisapride is a "prokinetic" agent (increases gastric emptying), that may increase the splanchnic circulation and thus favourably affect gas exchange in peritoneal ventilation. METHODS Us...

OBJECTIVE To describe the utility of high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) as a rescue therapy in patients with respiratory failure secondary to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that was refractory to conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV). DESIGN Descriptive study by retrospective review. SETTING Pediatric intensive care unit at a tertiary care children's hospital. PATIENTS Infants o...

Invasive mechanical ventilation is a life-saving procedure which is largely used in neonatal intensive care units, particularly in very premature newborn infants. However, this essential treatment may increase mortality and cause substantial morbidity, including lung or airway injuries, unplanned extubations, adverse hemodynamic effects, analgosedative dependency and severe infectious complicat...

BACKGROUND General anesthesia usually requires mechanical ventilation, which is traditionally accomplished with constant tidal volumes in volume- or pressure-controlled modes. Experimental studies suggest that the use of variable tidal volumes (variable ventilation) recruits lung tissue, improves pulmonary function and reduces systemic inflammatory response. However, it is currently not known w...