Use of high-frequency and nonconventional ventilation for respiratory failure

Over the past several years, many new strategies have evolved for improving the care of patients with acute lung injury and respiratory failure. Although many of these new modalities remain unproven, some show much promise for decreasing the morbidity and mortality seen in critically ill patients who need assisted ventilation. In this review, we discuss recent data concerning four of these modalities: high frequency ventilation, prone positioning, tracheal gas insufflation, and partial liquid ventilation.