The ideal tidal volume in a patient ventilated for ARDS is-: (A) 6 mL/kg, (B) 10 mL/Kg, (C) l4 mL/kg, (D) 2O mL/kg
Answer is A. The ideal tidal volume in a patient ventilated for ARDS is 6mL/kg predicted body weight.Moality was significantly lower in this low TV patients(31%) compared to the conventional TV (12 mL/kg predicted body weight) ventilation(40%). Despite its life-saving potential mechanical ventilation can aggravate lung injury in severe ARDS patients. Ventilator-induced lung injury arises from two principal mechanisms: Volutrauma from repeated alveolar overdistension from excess tidal volume; Atelectrauma from recurrent alveolar collapse. Reference: Harrison's Medicine,20thedition, page no:203