A 68-year-old man with moderate ARDS is receiving volume-controlled ventilation. You are reviewing his ventilator waveform and note that expiratory fl...

Question

A 68-year-old man with moderate ARDS is receiving volume-controlled ventilation. You are reviewing his ventilator waveform and note that expiratory flow does not return to zero before the next inspiratory cycle begins. What does this finding indicate?

Accepted Answer

The patient has intrinsic PEEP (auto-PEEP)

Answer

There is a circuit leak

Answer

The set tidal volume is too low

Answer

The inspiratory flow rate is insufficient

Answer

The set PEEP is too high

uk-fficm MCQ (SBA): Auto-PEEP

A 68-year-old man with moderate ARDS is receiving volume-controlled ventilation. You are reviewing his ventilator waveform and note that expiratory flow does not return to zero before the next inspiratory cycle begins. What does this finding indicate?