Open Lung Approach for the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Pilot, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: The open lung approach is a mechanical ventilation strategy involving lung recruitment and a decremental positive end-expiratory pressure trial. We compared the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome network protocol using low levels of positive end-expiratory pressure with open lung approach resulting in moderate to high levels of positive end-expiratory pressure for the management of established moderate/severe acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Design: A prospective, multicenter, pilot, randomized controlled trial.