Non-Invasive Ventilation

Mechanical ventilatory support delivered without an ETT, usually via delivery of positive pressure to the airway. Any invasive mode of ventilation can be given non-invasively:

The oldest form of NIV is negative-pressure, and is the iron lung.

Indications

Acute:

  • Reversible respiratory failure
    • APO
      LV afterload and ↑ recruitment.
      • CPAP ~10cmH2O ideal in most
    • T2RF in COAD
      ↓ Mortality and need for intubation, and re-intubation when extubated onto CPAP.
      • CPAP appropriate for reversible obstruction
      • Bilevel/PSV (5-20cmH2O) for hypercarbia
      • Mask intolerance higher for COAD than APO
    • Asthma
    • Pneumonia
      May be preferred in immunosuppressed patients or other groups with very poor outcomes from mechanical ventilation.
    • Post-operative
    • Chest wall trauma

      Chronic:
  • OSA
  • Neuromuscular disease

Contraindications

  • Obtundation
    Risk of aspiration with an unprotected airway.
  • Dyssynchrony
    Patient discomfort or poor mask fit may lead to leaking and failure of pressure to augment appropriately.
  • Inability to clear secretions

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Applies an unchanging positive pressure throughout the respiratory cycle, leading to:

  • ↓ Work of breathing
    ↓ Elastic work by ↑ alveolar recruitment. ↓ Inspiratory threshold work of breathing if iPEEP is ↑.
  • ↑ SpO2
    Via alveolar recruitment.
  • LV afterload

Pressure Support Ventilation

Inspiration is detected via a flow or pressure trigger, and a positive airway pressure is provided which:

  • Vt
    Leads to ↑ Va and ↓ PaCO2.
  • ↓ elastic and resistive work of breathing
  • Induces pulmonary surfactant release

Anatomy

Equipment

Technique

Complications

  • B
    • Aspiration
  • D
    • Discomfort
    • Agitation
  • E
    • Pressure injuries
  • G
    • Gastric distension

References