Assessing Lung Inhomogeneity During Ventilation for Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a new technique that enables real-time visualization of the distribution of ventilation at the bedside. This technique allows clinicians and investigators to immediately determine how applying higher or lower PEEP levels affect stress and strain in the lung. The investigators propose to apply this new technique to test a strategy for finding the optimal level of PEEP that prevents lung injury and improves outcomes in critically ill patients.

The ExPRESS algorithm is a traditional approach to selecting PEEP based on respiratory mechanics.