Improved ventilation of the edematous lung

The Trustees Of The Stevens Institute Of Technology, Hoboken NJ

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Abstract

Project Summary Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is treated by mechanical ventilation. Mechanical ventilation is a lifesaving therapy but also causes additional ventilation induced lung injury (VILI). It is not known whether VILI is attributable to overexpansion or cyclic collapse and reopening of lung tissue. In this bioengineering project, we aim to elucidate the micromechanics of the ventilation injury mechanism. We propose to test ventilation settings that keep the lung tissue expanded, allow collapse and reopening or permit collapse without reopening, and then apply a new electrical determination of alveolar-capillary barrier permeability. The new method is highly localized and independent of regional edema degree. Combining information from ventilation history and permeability characterization, we will determine cause and location of injury.