Early detection of deteriorating ventilation by monitoring bilateral chest wall dynamics in the rabbit.

Purpose: Mechanical complications during assisted ventilation can evolve due to worsening lung disease or problems in airway management. These complications affect lung compliance or airway resistance, which in turn affect the chest wall dynamics. The objective of this study was to explore the utility of continuous monitoring of the symmetry and dynamics of chest wall motion in the early detection of complications during mechanical ventilation.

A new method for continuous monitoring of chest wall movement to characterize hypoxemic episodes during HFOV.

Introduction: Monitoring ventilated infants is difficult during high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV). This study tested the possible causes of hypoxemic episodes using a new method for monitoring chest wall movement during HFOV in newborn infants.

Methods: Three miniature motion sensors were attached to both sides of the chest and to the epigastrium to measure the local tidal displacement (TDi) at each site.