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Objectives: Prolongation of inspiratory time is used to reduce lung injury in mechanical ventilation. The aim of this study was to isolate the effects of inspiratory time on airway pressure, gas exchange, and hemodynamics, while ventilatory frequency, tidal volume, and mean airway pressure were kept constant.Design: Randomized experimental trial.Setting: Experimental laboratory of a University Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care.Animals: Twelve anesthetised piglets.Interventions: After lavage the reference setting was pressure-controlled ventilation with a decelerating flow; I:E was 1:1, and PEEP was set to 75% of the inflection point pressure level. The I:E ratios of 1.5:1, 2.3:1, and 4:1 were applied randomly. Under open lung conditions, mean airway pressure was kept constant by reduction of external PEEP.Measurements and Results: Gas exchange, airway pressures, hemodynamics, functional residual capacity (SF6 tracer), and intrathoracic fluid volumes (double indicator dilution) were measured. Compared to the I:E of 1:1, PaCO2 was 8% lower, with I:E 2.3:1 and 4:1 (p < or = 0.01) while PaO2 remained unchanged. The decrease in inspiratory airway pressure with increased inspiratory time was due to the response of the pressure-regulated volume-controlled mode to an increased I:E ratio. Stroke index and right ventricular ejection fraction were depressed at higher I:E ratios (SI by 18% at 2.3:1, 20% at 4:1; RVEF by 10% at 2.3:1, 13% at 4:1; p < or = 0.05).Conclusion: Under open lung conditions with an increased I:E ratio, oxygenation remained unaffected while hemodynamics were impaired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To study the ability of different ventilatory approaches to keep the lung open.Design: Different ventilatory patterns were applied in surfactant deficient lungs with PEEP set to achieve pre-lavage PaO2.Setting: Experimental laboratory of a University Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care.Animals: 15 anaesthetised piglets.Interventions: One volume-controlled mode (L-IPPV201:1.5) and two pressure-controlled modes at 20 breaths per minute (bpm) and I:E ratios of 2:1 and 1.5:1 (L-PRVC202:1 and L-PRVC201.5:1), and two pressure-controlled modes at 60 bpm and I:E of 1:1 and 1:1.5 (L-PRVC601:1 and L-PRVC601:1.5) were investigated. The pressure-controlled modes were applied using "Pressure-Regulated Volume-Controlled Ventilation" (PRVC).Measurements and Results: Gas exchange, airway pressures, hemodynamics, FRC and intrathoracic fluid volumes were measured. Gas exchange was the same for all modes. FRC was 30% higher with all post-lavage settings. By reducing inspiratory time MPAW decreased from 25 cmH2O by 3 cmH2O with L-PRVC201.5:1 and L-PRVC601:1.5. End-inspiratory airway pressure was 29 cmH2O with L-PRVC201.5:1 and 40 cmH2O with L-IPPV201:1.5, while the other modes displayed intermediate values. End-inspiratory lung volume was 65 ml/kg with L-IPPV201:1.5, but it was reduced to 50 and 49 ml/kg with L-PRVC601:1 and L-PRVC601:1.5. Compliance was 16 and 18 ml/cmH2O with L-PRVC202:1 and L-PRVC201.5:1, while it was lower with L-IPPV201:1.5, L-PRVC601:1 and L-PRVC601:1.5. Oxygen delivery was maintained at pre-lavage level with L-PRVC201.5:1 (657 ml/min.m2), the other modes displayed reduced oxygen delivery compared with pre-lavage.Conclusion: Neither the rapid frequency modes nor the low frequency volume-controlled mode kept the surfactant deficient lungs open. Pressure-controlled inverse ratio ventilation (20 bpm) kept the lungs open at reduced end-inspiratory airway pressures and hence reduced risk of barotrauma. Reducing I:E ratio in this latter modality from 2:1 to 1.5:1 further improved oxygen delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]