While in this mode we can control the amount pressure a newborn lung sees,
accepting the fact that the necessary tidal volume may not always be
achieved, BUT acceptance of lower tidal volumes may outweigh high
pressures that will induce barotrauma. However, volutrauma is also a source
of lung injury.The VT may be followed as an indicator of improvement/worsening of the
pulmonary status. When the tidal volumes start registering too high (based on
what you would expect for that patient’s weight on that ventilator), it’s probably
time to start weaning!CONVENTIONAL MECHANICAL VENTILATOR MODES
IMV: INTERMITTENT MANDATORY VENTILATION
Ventilator delivers a preset number of mechanical breaths, independent of
the patient’s effort. The ventilator is in complete control. Leads to
significant asynchrony between spontaneous breaths of the patient and
the mechanical breaths.
SIMV:SYNCHRONIZED INTERMITTENT MANDATORY VENTILATION
Similar to IMV, but the ventilator is able to time its delivered breaths in
conjunction with the inspiratory effort of the infant