The utilization of Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV) for patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) has been safely practiced for over twenty years. APRV has been applied in adult, pediatric, and neonatal populations as an alternative to traditional mechanical ventilation strategies.
Some medical practitioners argue that APRV is superior to standard ventilation strategies (e.g. ARDS low tidal volume strategy) for patients with ARDS, however, no clinical trial to date have shown any meaningful clinical outcome benefit over conventional strategies.
Additionally, few practitioners claim that APRV can only be applied with Draeger ventilators.
Is this true?
Is it going to harm my patient if I use another manufactures machine?
What are my limitations?
Well there is no clinical evidence to support this claim. Further more, I and several other practitioners have utilized various ventilators from different manufactures to safely & successfully simulate APRV.
More to come.