Acute Lung Injury Causes Asynchronous Alveolar Ventilation That Can Be Corrected by Individual Sighs

Abstract

We describe for the first time in detail the different forms and temporal sequence of impaired alveolar dynamics in the acutely injured lung and report the first direct visualization of alveolar pendelluft. Moreover, we identify individual sighs as an effective strategy to restore intact alveolar ventilation by a mechanism independent of alveolar collapse and reopening.