Interrupted Expiratory Flow on Automatically Constructed Flow-Volume Curves May Determine the Presence of Intrinsic Positive End-Expiratory Pressure During One-Lung Ventilation

Abstract

To identify patients with intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure during anesthesia without the need to interrupt mechanical ventilation, the flow-volume curves of an online respiratory monitor may be examined. The presence of an interrupted expiratory flow may suggest the presence of intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure with a reasonable accuracy.