Anesthesiology
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Unilateral Acid Aspiration Augments the Effects of Ventilator Lung Injury in the Contralateral Lung.
Mechanical ventilation is necessary during acute respiratory distress syndrome, but it promotes lung injury because of the excessive stretch applied to the aerated parenchyma. The authors' hypothesis was that after a regional lung injury, the noxious effect of mechanical ventilation on the remaining aerated parenchyma would be more pronounced. ⋯ Aggressive mechanical ventilation aggravates the preexisting lung injury, which is noxious for the contralateral, not previously injured lung, possibly because of a regional redistribution of VT.
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Editorial Comment
A race against time: planning postoperative critical care.