A patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)has developed a pneumothorax from elevating peak and plateau pressures.The patient is currently being ventilated in the volume-controlled continuous mandatory ventilation (VC-CMV)mode with a set rate of 12 breaths/min.However,the patient is triggering the ventilator at a rate of 25 breaths/min.The arterial blood gas reveals ventilator-induced hyperventilation with corrected hypoxemia.The most appropriate recommendation to manage this patient on the ventilator is which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Switching to pressure-controlled ventilation will reduce the continued risk of alveolar overdistention,which has already caused a pneumothorax,by limiting the amount of positive pressure applied to the lung.Using the intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV)mode will decrease the ability of the patient to cause ventilator-induced hyperventilation by triggering mandatory breaths.IMV,with a low ventilator rate setting,can very well reduce this patient's respiratory alkalosis.Using pressure support with the pressure- controlled intermittent mandatory ventilation (PC-IMV)mode will decrease the WOB for the patient during spontaneous breaths.

A Patient with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)has Developed a Pneumothorax