A study of a complex ARDS patient

With a high percentage of ICU patients suffering from ARDS from a direct or indirect lung injury, successful therapy and treatment modalities are important for all of us to know. It is our hope, as critical care professionals, to assist the patient through the course of this complication and prevent further lung injury related to the increasing oxygen demands, high positive pressure ventilation, and high volumes. When traditional methods of improving ventilation fail, we do have the options of proning our patients and/or trying high frequency oscillating ventilation to optimize oxygen exchange. The authors outline the course of events surrounding the care of a young patient with ARDS over 44 days in ICU. Proning, high frequency ventilation, and the use of steroids played a role in the recovery of Mr. M. Aggressive nursing care helped minimize the complications from these treatments and aided in the psychosocial aspects of a challenging family dynamic.