A 40-year-old man with severe ARDS is on VCV. The team notes that his plateau pressure varies between 25 and 32 cmH2O despite constant ventilator sett...

Question

A 40-year-old man with severe ARDS is on VCV. The team notes that his plateau pressure varies between 25 and 32 cmH2O despite constant ventilator settings and adequate sedation. The most likely explanation is:

Accepted Answer

Intermittent spontaneous breathing effort (despite sedation) causing variable transpulmonary pressures - the plateau pressure measurement requires a completely passive patient for accuracy

Answer

Ventilator malfunction

Answer

Changes in atmospheric pressure

Answer

ETT obstruction

Answer

Circuit leak

uk-fficm MCQ (SBA): Plateau Pressure Measurement

A 40-year-old man with severe ARDS is on VCV. The team notes that his plateau pressure varies between 25 and 32 cmH2O despite constant ventilator settings and adequate sedation. The most likely explanation is: