Artificial Increase in Chest Wall Elastance as an Alternative to Prone Positioning in Moderate-to-severe ARDS.

Plain-language summary

During moderate to severe ARDS, sessions of prone positioning lead to lung and chest wall mechanics changes that modify regional ventilation, with a final redistribution of tidal volume and PEEP towards dependent lung regions: this limits ventilator-induced lung injury, increases oxygenation and convincingly improves clinical outcome. Physiological data indicate that the increase in chest wall elastance is crucial in determining the benefit by prone positioning on oxygenation. In some patients, however, prone positioning may not be feasible or safe due to particular comorbidities and/or technical issues. In the present pilot-feasibility study enrolling 15 subjects with moderate to severe ARDS in whom prone positioning is contraindicated or unfeasible, we aim at assessing whether and to what extent an artificial increase in chest wall elastance while the patient is in the supine position may yield a significant benefit to oxygenation. The increase in chest wall elastance will be achieved placing 100g/kg weight on the anterior chest wall of the patient while he/she is in the supine position: this approach previoulsy appeared safe and effective in case reports and small case series. Patient's position will be standardized (30 degrees head-up, semi seated position). This one-arm sequential study will evaluate the effects of the procedure on gas exchange, haemodynamics, lung and chest wall mechanics, alveolar recruitment (measured with the nitrogen washout-technique and multiple PV curves) and tidal volume and PEEP distribution (assessed with electrical impedance tomography).

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