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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
09:39
A Microfluidic Model of Biomimetically Breathing Pulmonary Acinar Airways
Published on: May 9, 2016
Airflow Obstruction and Dynamic Hyperinflation
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Regions Hospital, University of Minnesota, 640 Jackson Street, St.Paul, MN 55101-2595, USA.
Clinics in Chest Medicine
|July 22, 2026
Summary
Positive pressure ventilation poses risks for asthma and COPD patients due to dynamic hyperinflation. Extracorporeal gas exchange offers a new option for severe ventilatory failure in airflow obstruction.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Medicine
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Dynamic hyperinflation and gas trapping are common in acute exacerbations of asthma and COPD.
- Positive pressure ventilation can worsen outcomes in these patients, leading to increased workload, reduced muscular efficiency, and hemodynamic compromise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of ventilatory assistance strategies in asthma and COPD.
- To highlight the role of extracorporeal gas exchange in managing severe ventilatory failure.
Main Methods:
- Review of current therapeutic approaches for ventilatory assistance in asthma and COPD.
- Discussion of the application and effectiveness of noninvasive ventilation, high-flow nasal cannula, positive end-expiratory pressure, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Main Results:
- Noninvasive ventilation, high-flow nasal cannula, and PEEP are generally more effective in COPD than in asthma.
- Extracorporeal gas exchange (ECMO) is emerging as a viable option for refractory ventilatory failure.
Conclusions:
- Ventilatory support strategies must consider the underlying pathophysiology of dynamic hyperinflation.
- Extracorporeal gas exchange represents a significant advancement for managing life-threatening ventilatory failure in obstructive lung diseases.
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