Clinical observations on the effect of airway pressure release ventilation on intracranial pressure and hypoxemia of patients with severe traumatic brain injury

Abstract

The article aims to observe and compare the efficiency of airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) and pressure controlled ventilation (PCV) on patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) complicated with hypoxemia. The monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) showed 11 patients with hypoxemia had been significantly improved by 30 minutes of APRV. The ICP in APRV was similar with that in PCV (P > 0.05). CBF and PaO2 under APRV mode were (528.82 ± 65.27) ml/min and (132.49 ± 20.30) mm Hg respectively, and (430.27 ± 33.44) ml/min and (79.38 ± 10.22) mm Hg respectively under PCV mode. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05, for all). Therefore, APRV could be effective in improving oxygen supply and hypoxemia without increasing ICP.