A concept for breath by breath computing of lung compliance in the ventilated patient

A concept for calculating dynamic lung compliance (CL) by computer in ventilated supine patients is described. The primary signals are gas flow, airway pressure, esophageal pressure (PES) and ECG. Endinspiratory and endexpiratory PES is calculated as a mean value during an R/R interval's time just before the end of inspiration and expiration. Its main advantage is a reduction of the variability in computer calculated CL by reducing the influence of cardiac oscilliations on PES tracings, thus enabling evaluation of special ventilatory settings as intermittent mandatory ventilation or rapidly changing PEEP.