Thirty-four paediatric patients who needed artificial ventilation but lacked serious pulmonary pathology (ALI/ARDS) were ventilated by APRV/BIPAP. The authors investigated the acid-base equilibrium, setting of the ventilator and indices of oxygenation and ventilation. In all patients satisfactory values of blood gases were achieved (pO2 11.5 kPa at time 0 and 12.3 kPa after 72 hours, pCO2 6.33 and 4.27 kPa, p < 0.05), FiO2 was reduced from 0.42 to 0.33. Low pressures in the airways were achieved (Phigh 15.3 vs. 14.3, MAP 6.8 vs. 4.3, Plow 4.8 vs. 3.3, all cm H2O and of indices - AaDO2 20.2 vs. 13.2 kPa, OI 3.3 vs. 1.4, pO2/FiO2 217.3 vs. 296.6 torr (p < 0.05). The authors did not record any complications of artificial pulmonary ventilation, the ventilation was very well tolerated.

        Key words: artificial pulmonary ventilation, airway pressure release (APRV), biphasic positive airway pressure (BIPAP), children