Understanding and comparing modes of ventilation (PDF)

The development of new ventilation methods and differences in manufacturers' marketing strategies, as well as trademarks and trademark protection issues often make it difficult to establish clear criteria that allow a side-by-side comparison of different ventilation modes and ventilation parameters. Particularly in situations when patients requiring ventilatory support are first admitted, or when a member of staff changes to a new ICU, many users are unable to establish a correspondence between a clinical picture and the selected breathing pattern. This of course makes it difficult for the user to apply the correct settings. All previous attempts to define a standardized nomenclature have failed. While a new taxonomy of the ventilation modes has meanwhile been published in the USA, a standardization working group has been holding regular meetings since 2014 in order to prepare a standardized nomenclature of ventilation modes. We hope that the Kronberg List will go some way towards guiding you through the labyrinth of ventilation modes, and that it proves useful as a quick reference guide in bedside decision-making. Comparison tables that acknowledge differences between different manufacturers' devices, and which provide detailed descriptions of all relevant characteristics, will make it easy for the user to compare the relevant ventilation methods.