Initial mechanical ventilator settings for pediatric patients: clinical judgement in selection of tidal volume.

Guidelines for selection of initial mechanical ventilator settings for pediatric patients were evaluated. Protocols specifying tidal volume or peak inspiratory pressure are difficult to apply for infants and children because of leaks at uncuffed endotracheal tubes, compression loss in ventilators, and inaccuracy of settings for intended tidal volume. To avoid these difficulties, the selection of tidal volume was based on subjective clinical observations: visible chest excursion and audible air entry at least simulating normal breathing. In 76 consecutive patients, use of the guidelines resulted in satisfactory PaCO2 for 97% and PaO2 for 89% of infants and children with a wide variety of respiratory disorders. Adequacy of gas exchange was not related to the patient's age, type of ventilator, tightness of fit of the endotracheal tube, or presence of spontaneous breathing. These results support a simple, versatile method of teaching selection of initial mechanical ventilator settings, relying on clinical judgment for regulation of tidal volume.